Natural raw materials in "Traditional" ceramic manufacturing

New typologies of ceramic tiles represent well all the innovations in body and glaze compositions, preparation of powders, application of new integrated industrial strategies, and consequently rational utilization of all the necessary raw materials available. Italy is a representative example of growing of the ceramic tile industry, being one of the larger producer of wall and floor tiles in the world. The optimal utilization of minerals and raw materials is directly proportional to the level of knowledge about the ceramic materials and the effects of minerals and their impurities on the process and on the properties of the end-products. The same mineral can be used for simple, bulk products, but after small modification it may well be used for high quality products.