Stone Source

It is the elements other than silicon and oxygen that determine the properties of the ceramics that are made from them. For example, the presence of iron in the silicate causes a red-orange color. When the silicates are subjected to very high temperatures ( 900 to 1400°C ), the water present in the original compounds is driven out, allowing chemical bonding between the layers of the silicate. This gives the ceramic structural strength which the original material did not have.