Quarry open day draws in the crowds

September 2009

Staff at Sibelco UK’s china clay operation in Cornwood, Devon, welcomed more than 600 visitors to a special Community Open Day on Saturday 19^th September. The event attracted people of all ages, mainly from the villages surrounding Sibelco’s kaolin operations together with families and friends of the workforce.

The day included guided tours of the quarry and processing plants, providing visitors with the opportunity to learn all about how china clay is produced for use as a raw material in a wide range of everyday items such as paper, ceramics and paint. In addition to the tours, guests could try their hand on the potters wheel whilst children enjoyed pony rides, face painting and craft making activities.

“The turnout was fantastic and we’ve received positive feedback from visitors of all ages,” commented Wayne Russell, Sibelco UK’s Kaolin Operations Manager. “The event was all about providing our neighbours with the opportunity to take a close-up look at our operations and learn more about our plans for the future. We were overwhelmed by the number of visitors and their enthusiasm. We will definitely consider running similar events in the future.”

Formerly known as WBB, Sibelco has been producing china clay from the deposits of south-western Dartmoor since 1873 and ball clays from the deposits of the Bovey Basin in South Devon and the Petrockstowe Basin in North Devon for over 300 years. The company is part of the multi-national Sibelco Group with operations in 38 countries, over 10,000 employees and an extensive portfolio of mineral products. The majority of clay products from Devon are exported, still bearing the famous WBB brand.