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Natural Clay Pits

Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2011 1:54 am
by maps
Where am I most likely to find a Clay Pit? Are the safe to sink in?

Re: Natural Clay Pits

Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2011 8:05 am
by Fred588
Well if you really mean a "natural" clay pit then it would have to be in an area where clay is abundant and relatively pure. It would also have to be in an area where there is enough rainfall that the clay stays wet most of the time. That's a tall order.

Semi-natural clay, and the requisite water, is also likely in place where the clay is concentrated by some natural or perhaps industrial process, such as along the banks of a river that floods occasionally but is usually slow-moving or near various kinds of quarries. These deposits, however, may not be so safe as they might be contaminated by who knows what, and the quarries will certainky be private property. Clay is also formed and concentrated, and even forms rather classic, movie-grade mud pits in some volcanic areas, such as Yellowstone National Park. The mud "pots" however, are likely to be way too hot to use and, in the case of inside a national park, very illegal to enter.

Good hunting.


maps wrote:Where am I most likely to find a Clay Pit? Are the safe to sink in?

Re: Natural Clay Pits

Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2011 6:06 pm
by Mynock
^^Agreed with Fred, natural is going to be difficult.
If you'd be happy with naturalish, sand quarry's usually have settling ponds full of awesome, bottomless, rock free sinky stuff. 8-)

Re: Natural Clay Pits

Posted: Sat Jul 09, 2011 10:46 am
by Mr Nice Guy
Try the Michigan UP, within 10 miles inland of the Lake. Go with a vacation to on the Lake in mind instead of spending money on a serious mud hunt - my experiences go back a few decades. A lot of iron ore in the soil, so if you do see clay it will be red: expect any clothing to remain a raw umber color forever. Best luck within 2 miles of the Black River where creeks and tributaries end their slow meander across the soil. The area around Ironwood will probably not have had a lot of Land Mangement due to a relatively small population. Again, my experiences may be too old to count on, but I would look if I were there today. I would take a rod and reel as props. Oh - and don't go during deer hunting season. That's important to remember :o .