How to find wild clay. Finding raw clay is easier than you may think. In this post i’ll talk about some things to look out for when looking for raw clay, and how to ensure that what you dig up is more clay than sand.

 

So what should you look for when foraging raw clay? One of the easiest ways to find raw clay, is to find a body or stream of water. Clay deposits form in a variety of ways. Some happen through clay particles settling at the bottom of streams, lakes, rivers, ponds and sea beds that have dried up over the millenia. Other deposits are made through the degradation of clays parent rock granite. No matter the reason, clay is found near and around water and should always be the first place to look if you have a lot of these water sources in your area.

 

The side of a river bank or stream will usually cut deep into the earth, exposing several layers of sediment, one usually being clay. You may not recognize it immediately, but with practice, you will begin noticing clay everywhere. Here’s what to look for when trying to determine if what you have in your hand is actually clay.

 

When collecting a sample piece to test for clay, ask yourself these questions. Do you notice impressions being left in that area? Does the area look smooth from where you put your hand into the earth? Does the impression hold its form? Can you roll the sample piece into a snake or worm? And can you wrap that snake or work around your finger without it cracking or breaking in two?

 

If you answered yes to most or all of these questions, then it’s a pretty good indicator that you have a high clay content in that area.

 

 

Another great place to look for clay is in gem mines. There are a lot of places around the US that will host their mine for amateur excavators to test their skills at finding precious and semi-precious stones. These places are usually filled with lots of clay, and depending on if the mine has a “keep what you find” policy, than you could potentially walk away with a lot of clay for little to no money.

 

Here are some things to look for when finding clay that is not near a water source. First look for areas that are low in plant life (as this will make it harder to gather the clay) and relatively flat to easily survey the area. Look for low points in that area, this could be large holes or divots in the land scape. Clay particles will naturally settle in these areas. Once you’ve found a low point in the landscape, that is devoid of most life check for the tell tale signs of clay. Look for cracks and fissures on the surface of the earth, the deeper the crack, the better. If the cracks look really flaky, it is most likely just surface clay and won’t have much for you to harvest. Look for cracks that go down at least an inch in depth.

 

Follow these steps and you’ll be well on your way to finding and foraging raw clay. To find out more about clay and how to get started on your own pottery journey visit Higher Perspective Art.