Technical section

Minerals and Materials

Minerals and Materials identifies, processes and characterizes ceramic raw materials, supports body and glaze formulation, and develops ceramic products from local resources.

Section profile

Ceramic raw materials and product development

Minerals and Materials is one of the sections under Product Development. It specializes in identifying ceramic raw material sources, collecting samples, processing and characterizing raw materials, and formulating and testing bodies suitable for ceramic product production.

The section is equipped with a ceramic material laboratory and a pilot plant for developing ceramic products at commercial scale.

Strategic goals

Raw materials, testing and technology transfer

The section's strategic goals focus on building local ceramic materials capability, strengthening laboratory work and transferring practical technologies to users.

Identification of raw material sites within and outside Uganda
Characterization and analysis of materials from different sites
Body formulation and prototype testing
Glaze development and testing
Technical and advisory services to the community
Technology transfer
Research and development
Laboratory upgrading

Services

Ceramic processing and advisory services

Minerals and Materials provides practical services for ceramic raw material processing, product testing and enterprise support.

Processing of raw materials
Firing ceramic pieces
Glazing and body formulation
Basic ceramic training and advisory services

Objectives

High-quality ceramic bodies, glazes and products

The section's objectives are aimed at improving ceramic product quality, supporting entrepreneurship and developing appropriate industrial ceramic technologies.

Develop high-quality white bodies
Produce high-quality glaze that matches different bodies and customer tastes
Produce high-quality ceramic products
Run modularized demand-driven training programmes
Improve technical competency of small-scale entrepreneurs while strengthening entrepreneurship, innovation and management skills
Transfer bone china technology
Develop appropriate processes for production of industrial ceramic products and new technologies
Upgrade laboratory capability