Extraction, processing and refinement of the industrial minerals kaolin, feldspar and quartz in the Upper Palatinate and Saxony
Amberger Kaolinwerke Eduard Kick GmbH & Co. KG
Hirschau/Schnaittenbach · Königswartha/Caminau · Mügeln/Kemmlitz · Gluhivzi (UA)New on Amplifa
About Amberger Kaolinwerke Eduard Kick
Amberger Kaolinwerke Eduard Kick GmbH & Co. KG (AKW) is a specialized company for the extraction, processing and refinement of the industrial minerals kaolin, feldspar and quartz. The product portfolio includes, among other things, kaolin as granulate, milled material, slurry, raw kaolin and chamotte, high-purity potassium feldspars from the Hirschau deposit as well as quartz sand and quartz flour. Processing takes place in modern plants through milling, washing, wet-mechanical classification, air classification, drying, screening and iron-free milling; in addition, surface-modified fillers and calcined kaolin products are manufactured. In-house application technology and laboratories support the ceramics and paper industries, for example with firing tests up to 1410 °C, particle size analysis and a pilot coater (Dixon-Coater). The products are supplied, among others, to the glass, ceramics, paper, foundry and construction industries as well as to construction chemistry and DIY market products. Main sites are Hirschau/Schnaittenbach in the Upper Palatinate as well as the kaolin works Caminau and Kemmlitz in Saxony; since 1995 AKW has belonged to the Quarzwerke Group (Frechen), whose products are sold in around 50 countries.
- Site
- Hirschau
- Processes
- Extraction and processing of industrial minerals, Processing and refinement of mineral raw materials (milling, washing, classification, air, Surface modification of fillers (coating), Manufacture of high-performance fillers and additives for polymers, paints and coatings, Filling of natural stone into consumer-friendly packaging units (production lines), Manufacture of foundry sands (mould making, core making, shell moulding process,, Manufacture of Solar Reflective Granules, Manufacture of calcined kaolin (calcined BASF kaolin products)
- Materials
- Quartz / quartz sand / quartz flour / quartz gravel, Kaolin, Potassium feldspar, Sodium feldspar (mixed feldspars), Wollastonite, Mica, Cristobalite, Fused quartz
- Certificates
- DIN EN ISO 9001, DIN EN ISO 14001, DIN EN ISO 50001, ISO 45001 (occupational safety), DIN EN 71-3 (play sand, product certificate Schnaittenbach plant), ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 50001, ISO 45001, EN 71-3
- Founded
- 1901 (Ambe
- Industries
- Glass, Ceramics, Paper, Foundry, Construction, Construction chemistry
- 01
Raw material extraction (open-cast mining, kaolin washing process)
- 02
Processing: washing, milling, classification, air classification, drying,
- 03
Refinement: calcination, surface modification
- 04
Laboratory and application technology testing
- 05
Sales and logistics
Materials and Processes
Kaolin (granulate, milled material, slurry, raw kaolin)
White, plate-shaped mineral used as a filler, ceramic raw material and paper pigment.
Quartz / quartz sand / quartz flour (e.g. foundry sand H 32)
Hard, chemically inert raw material with a high melting point, used among other things for foundry sands and construction applications.
Potassium feldspar
Low-iron, high-purity feldspar from the Hirschau deposit for glass and ceramics.
Sodium/mixed feldspars
Feldspars with Al2O3 and alkali content as fluxes in glass and ceramic bodies.
Calcined kaolin
Thermally refined kaolin used, among other things, for paper and high-performance fillers.
Aluminium hydroxide (ATH)
Filler providing flame-retardant action and thermally conductive properties in polymers.
Kaolin chamotte
Fired kaolin used as a refractory and ceramic additive.
Wollastonite, mica, cristobalite, fused quartz, nepheline syenite, anhydrite
Mineral fillers for polymers, paints, coatings and specialty applications.
Sites
Hirschau-Schnaittenbach
DEAdministration, production of kaolin/feldspar/quartz, pilot coating line
- Materials
- Kaolin, feldspar, quartz
- Pilot coating line Dixon-Coater
- Laboratory calender
- Sedigraph 5100
- Elrepho 450 X
- Alpine air-jet sieve
- Heating microscope
- Flow-out viscometer
Königswartha / Caminau
DEKaolin works
- Materials
- Kaolin
Mügeln / Kemmlitz
DEKaolin works (Kemmlitzer Kaolinwerke)
- Materials
- Kaolin
Gluhivzi
UAKaolin production (AKW Ukrainian Kaolin Company)
- Materials
- Kaolin
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Extraction and processing of industrial mineralsEngineering | – | – | – | – | Quartz, Kaolin, Feldspar, Wollastonite, Mica, Cristobalite, Fused quartz, Nepheline syenite |
| Processing and refinement of mineral raw materials (milling, washing, classification, airEngineering | – | – | – | – | Quartz sand, Kaolin, Feldspar |
| Surface modification of fillers (coating)Surface | – | – | – | – | Kaolin, ATH (aluminium hydroxide), Quartz, Feldspar, Mica, Wollastonite, Cristobalite |
| Manufacture of high-performance fillers and additives for polymers, paints and coatingsPlastics | – | – | – | – | Quartz, Kaolin, Feldspar, Wollastonite, Cristobalite, Fused quartz, Mica, Nepheline syenite, Aluminium hydroxide, Anhydrite, White fused alumina |
| Filling of natural stone into consumer-friendly packaging units (production lines)Assembly | – | – | – | – | Natural stone, Gravel, Crushed stone, Play sand |
| Manufacture of foundry sands (mould making, core making, shell moulding process,Casting | – | – | – | – | Quartz sand H 32 |
| Manufacture of Solar Reflective GranulesEngineering | – | – | – | – | Granulate |
| Manufacture of calcined kaolin (calcined BASF kaolin products)Heat treatment | – | – | – | – | Kaolin |
| Firing/firing tests of ceramic test specimens (1410°C reducing / 1250°C oxidizing)Heat treatment | – | – | – | – | Kaolin, Chamotte, Potassium feldspar, Quartz flour |
| Application technology and laboratory analysis (chemical analysis, X-ray fluorescence, X-rayTesting | – | – | – | – | Kaolin, Paper kaolins, Ceramic raw materials |
| Coating trials with pilot coating line (Dixon-Coater) incl. supercalendering (laboratory calender)Testing | – | – | – | – | Paper kaolins |
| Kaolin extraction by washing process (kaolin slurry)Engineering | – | – | – | – | Kaolin, Raw kaolin |
10 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Production lines for filling natural stone | – | 5 Producti | – | – | WECO GmbH & Co. KG (Leer, Groß Rosenburg and others) |
| Pilot coating line (Dixon-Coater) with roller application unit, blade levelling, roll doctor blade, | Dixon-Coater | 1 | – | – | Amberger Kaolinwerke |
| Laboratory calender (supercalendering) | – | 1 | – | – | Amberger Kaolinwerke |
| Sedigraph 5100 (particle size analysis) | Sedigraph 5100 | – | – | – | Amberger Kaolinwerke |
| Elrepho 450 X (fired colour measurement) | Elrepho 450 X | – | – | – | Amberger Kaolinwerke |
| Alpine air-jet sieve (dry sieve residue) | Alpine | – | – | – | Amberger Kaolinwerke |
| Heating microscope (melting behaviour) | – | – | – | – | Amberger Kaolinwerke |
| Flow-out viscometer (nozzle 3.2 mm) | – | – | – | – | Amberger Kaolinwerke |
| Drying and screening plants | – | – | – | – | Quarzwerke Group |
| Air classification technology / wet-mechanical processing (washing, classification) | – | – | – | – | Quarzwerke Group |
Additional services
Quality and Certification
The works in Hirschau/Schnaittenbach, Caminau and Kemmlitz are certified to ISO 9001, 14001, 50001 and 45001; the Schnaittenbach plant additionally holds an EN 71-3 product certificate (play sand). The in-house laboratory uses, among other things, X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction, particle size analysis (Sedigraph 5100) and fired colour measurement (Elrepho 450 X).
| Evidence | Hirschau-Schnaittenbach | Königswartha / Caminau | Mügeln / Kemmlitz |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISO 9001 | |||
| ISO 14001 | |||
| ISO 50001 | |||
| ISO 45001 | |||
| EN 71-3 |
Company History
- 1833
Eduard Kick founds a kaolin washing plant in Schnaittenbach
- 1836
Licence granted for the establishment of a porcelain and stoneware washing plant in Schnaittenbach
- 1901
Foundation of the Amberger Kaolinwerke by Georg Schiffer and partners (registered on 7 May, share capital of 100,000 marks)
- 1990
The Caminau kaolin works becomes the property of the Amberger Kaolinwerke
- 1991
Acquisition of the Kemmlitzer Kaolinwerke
- 1993
Merger of Amberger Kaolinwerke and Eduard Kick to form Amberger Kaolinwerke Eduard Kick GmbH & Co. KG; Dr. Otto Hieber becomes Managing Director
- 1995
Acquisition by the Quarzwerke Group (Frechen)
- 2014
Foundation stone laid for the new sand plant in Schnaittenbach on 30 April – the largest single project in the 180-year history of kaolin mining in Schnaittenbach