SHALES
Shale bricks have a long history in South Australia, first being mined in the Adelaide Hills dating back to the early 1880’s. The production process of these bricks only varies slightly compared with that of a traditional clay brick. Dry shale was crushed to a fine powder, mixed with a minimum amount of water, then forced into a mould and subjected to great pressure to form a brick.
Once they came out of the kiln, shale bricks were of uniform shape with a distinctive smooth and somewhat glossy surface, often marked with fine cracks.
Shale bricks have a long history in South Australia, first being mined in the Adelaide Hills dating back to the early 1880’s. The production process of these bricks only varies slightly compared with that of a traditional clay brick. Dry shale was crushed to a fine powder, mixed with a minimum amount of water, then forced into a mould and subjected to great pressure to form a brick.
Once they came out of the kiln, shale bricks were of uniform shape with a distinctive smooth and somewhat glossy surface, often marked with fine cracks.