11/9/2017 Howchalkismadematerial,making,used,processing,procedure,product,industry

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Chalk
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Background
Chalkusedinschoolclassroomscomesinslendersticksapproximately.35ofaninch(ninemillimeters)indiameterand3.15inches(80millimeters)long.
Lessonsareoftenpresentedtoentireclassesonchalkboards(orblackboards,astheywereoriginallycalled)usingsticksofchalkbecausethismethod
hasprovencheapandeasy.
Asfoundinnature,chalkhasbeenusedfordrawingsinceprehistorictimes,when,accordingtoarchaeologists,ithelpedtocreatesomeoftheearliest
cavedrawings.Later,artistsofdifferentcountriesandstylesusedchalkmainlyforsketches,andsomesuchdrawings,protectedwithshellac
(/knowledge/Shellac.html)orasimilarsubstance,havesurvived.Chalkwasfirstformedintosticksfortheconvenienceofartists.Themethodwastogrind
naturalchalktoafinepowder,thenaddwater,clayasabinder,andvariousdrycolors.Theresultantputtywasthenrolledintocylindersanddried.
Althoughimpuritiesproducenaturalchalkinmanycolors,whenartistsmadetheirownchalktheyusuallyaddedpigmentstorenderthesecolorsmorevivid.
Carbon,forexample,wasusedtoenhanceblack,andferricoxide(Fe2O3)createdamorevividred.
Chalkdidnotbecomestandardinschoolroomsuntilthenineteenthcentury,whenclasssizesbegantoincreaseandteachersneededaconvenientwayof
conveyinginformationtomanystudentsatonetime.Notonlydidinstructorsuselargeblackboards,butstudentsalsoworkedwithindividualchalkboards,
completewithchalksticksandaspongeorclothtouseasaneraser.Thesesmallchalkboardswereusedforpractice,especiallyamongtheyounger
students.Pensdippedininkwellswerethepreferredtoolforwritingfinalcopy,butthesewerereservedforolderstudentswhocouldbetrustednottomake
amess:papermadesolelyfromragsatthistimewasexpensive.
Animportantchangeinthenatureofclassroomchalkparalleledachangeinchalkboards.Blackboardsusedtobeblack,becausetheyweremadefrom
trueslate.Whilesomeexpertsadvocatedachangetoyellowchalkboardsanddarkblueorpurplechalktosimulatewritingonpaper,whenmanufacturers
begantofashionchalkboardsfromsyntheticmaterialsduringthetwentiethcentury,theychosethecolorgreen,arguingthatitwaseasierontheeyes.
Yellowbecamethepreferredcolorforchalk.
Almostallchalkproducedtodayisdustless.Earlier,softerchalktendedtoproduceacloudofdustthatsomefearedmightcontributetorespiratory
problems.Dustlesschalkstillproducesdustit'sjustthatthedustsettlesfaster.Manufacturersaccomplishthisbybakingtheirchalklongertohardenit
more.Anothermethod,usedbyaFrenchcompany,istodipeightypercentofeachdustlesschalkstickinshellactopreventthechalkfromrubbingoffonto
thehands.

Raw Materials
Themaincomponentofchalkiscalciumcarbonate(CaCO3),aformoflimestone.Limestonedepositsdevelopascoccoliths(minutecalcareousplates
createdbythedecomposition(/knowledge/Decomposition.html)ofplanktonskeletons)accumulate,formingsedimentarylayers.Plankton,atinymarine
organism,concentratesthecalciumfoundnaturallyinseawater(/knowledge/Seawater.html)from.04percentto40percent,whichisthenprecipitatedwhen
theplanktondies.

Tomakechalk,limestoneisfirstquarried,generallybyanopenpitquarry
method.Next,thelimestonemustbecrushed.Primarycrushing,suchasina
jawcrusher,breaksdownlargeboulderssecondarycrushingpulverizessmaller

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chunksintopebbles.Thelimestoneisthen
wetmilledwithwaterinaballmillarotating
steeldrumwithsteelballsinsidetofurther
pulverizethechalk.Thisstepwashesaway
impuritiesandleavesafinepowder.

Thebaseofpastelchalksiscalciumsulfate(CaSO4),whichisderivedfromgypsum(/knowledge/Gypsum.html)(CaSO42H
2O),anevaporitemineralformedbythedepositionofoceanbrineitalsooccursdisseminatedinlimestone.Chalkand
dehydrated(/knowledge/Dehydration.html)gypsumthushavesimilaroriginsandproperties.Pastelsalsocontainclaysandoils
forbinding,andstrongpigments.Thismixtureproducessticksthatwritesmoothlywithoutsmearinganddrawbetteronpaper
thanonchalkboards.Althoughgreatcareistakentoeliminatecontaminantswhenchalkismanufactured,someimpurities
inherenttothemineralremain.Chiefamongthesearesilica,alumina,iron,phosphorus,andsulfur.Inlesssignificant,
amounts,manganese,copper,titanium,sodiumoxide,potassium(/knowledge/Potassium.html)oxide,fluorine,arsenic,and
strontium(/knowledge/Strontium.html)mayalsooccur.

The Manufacturing
Process

Quarrying limestone
1Approximately95percentofthelimestoneproducedintheUnitedStatesisquarried.Afterasufficientreserve(twentyfive
years'worthisrecommended)hasbeenprospected,thelandthatcoversthedepositisremovedwithbulldozersandscrapers.
Ifthechalkisclosetothesurface,anopenshelfquarrymethodcanbeusedhowever,thisisveryrare.Usuallyanopenpit
quarrymethodisusedinstead.Inthismethod,holesaredrilledintotherock,explosivesareplacedinside,andtherockis
blownapart.Dependingonthenatureofthedeposit,apitcanbeenlargedlaterallyorvertically.

Pulverizing the chalk

2Oncecomparativelylargechunksoflimestonehavebeenquarried,theyneedtobetransportedtocrushingmachines,where
theyarepulverizedtomeetthedemandsofthechalkindustry.Thefirststepisprimarycrushing.Variouscrushersexist,butthe
principleisthesame:allcompressthestonewithjawsoracone,orshatteritthroughimpact.Secondarycrushingisaccomplishedbysmaller
crushersthatworkathigherspeeds,producingpebbleswhicharethengroundandpulverized.
3Thenextphase,wetgrinding,washesawayimpurities.Itisusedtomakethefinegradeoflimestonenecessarytomakechalksuitableforwriting
purposes.Wetgrindingiscarriedoutinballmillsrotatingsteeldrumswithsteelballsinsidethatpulverizethechalkuntilitisveryfine.

Aftergrinding,thechalkparticlesaresiftedovervibratingscreenstoseparate
thefinerparticles.Theparticlesarethenmixedwithwater,extrudedthrougha
dieofthepropersize,andcuttotheproperlength.Finally,thechalkiscured
inanovenforfourdays.

Dehydrating gypsum
4Gypsum,likelimestone,isalsoquarriedandpulverized.Themajordifferenceinprocessinggypsumisthatitmustbedehydratedtoformcalcium
sulfate,themajorcomponentofcoloredchalk.Thisisdoneinakettle,alargecombustionchamberinwhichthegypsumisheatedtobetween244
and253degreesFahrenheit(116121degreesCelsius).Itisallowedtoboiluntilithasbeenreducedbytwelvetofifteenpercent,atwhichpointits
watercontentwillhavebeenreducedfrom20.9percenttobetween5and6percent.Tofurtherreducethewater,thegypsumisreheatedtoabout
402degreesFahrenheit(204degreesCelsius),atwhichpointitisremovedfromthekettle.Bynow,almostallofthewaterhasevaporated,leaving
calciumsulfate.

Sifting, cleaning, and shipping

the chalk
5Theparticlesofchalkorcalciumsulfatearenowconveyedtovibratingscreensthatsiftoutthefinermaterial.Theensuingfinechalkisthen
washed,dried,packedinbags,andshippedtothemanufacturer.Uponreceivingchalkorcalciumsulfate,thechalkfactoryusuallygrindsthe
materialsagaintorenderthemsmoothanduniformlyfine.

Making white classroom chalk

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11/9/2017 Howchalkismadematerial,making,used,processing,procedure,product,industry
6Tomakewhiteclassroomchalk,themanufactureraddswatertoformathickslurrywiththeconsistencyofclay.Theslurryisthenplacedintoand
extrudedfromadieanorificeofthedesiredlong,thinshape.Cutintolengthsofapproximately24.43inches(62centimeters),thesticksarenext
placedonasheetthatcontainsplacesforfivesuchsticks.Thesheetisthenplacedinanoven,wherethechalkcuresforfourdaysat188degrees
Fahrenheit(85degreesCelsius).Afterithascured,thesticksarecutinto80millimeterslengths.

Making colored classroom chalk

7Pigments(dry,natural,coloredmaterials)aremixedinwiththecalciumcarbonatewhilebotharedry(theprocedureissimilartosiftingflourand
bakingpowdertogetherbeforeaddingliquid,asinacakerecipe).Wateristhenaddedtothemixture,whichisthenbakedinthesamemanneras
whiteclassroomchalk.

Making pastels
8Anothermanufacturingmethodisusedforpastels,thechalksusedforartdrawing.Theprocedureresemblesthatusedforcoloredclassroomchalk,
butcalciumsulfateisusedinsteadofcalciumcarbonate.Inaddition,thedrymaterialismixedwithclayandoils,andmorepigmentsareaddedto
produceaslurrythathastheconsistencyoftoothpaste.Becausethefinalproductsmustberelativelymoist,pastelsareusuallyairdriedratherthan
baked.

Boxing the chalk

9Placedinsmallboxes,thecompletedchalksticksarestackedinlargeboxestobeshippedtosupplystores.

Quality Control
Chalkthatisintendedfortheclassroommustundergostringenttestsinordertoperformwellandbelabelednontoxic(/knowledge/Toxicity.html).All
incomingmaterialsaretestedforpuritybeforebeingused.Afterthechalkhasbeenmadeintosticks,onestickfromeachbatchisselectedfortests.The
densityandbreakstrengthofthesamplestickaredetermined.Thesampleisthenusedtowritewith,andthequalityofthemarkisstudied.Erasabilityis
alsostudied.First,thechalkmarkiserasedusingadryeraser,andthequalityoferasureisexamined.Then,thechalkboardiswashed,andagainthe
amountofchalkleftontheboardisexamined.Furthermore,asamplefromeachbatchiskeptforfiveyearssothatitcanbeinspectedifinthefutureits
qualityisquestioned.

ChalkforclassroomuseadherestotheAmericanNationalStandardsInstituteperformancestandards.Writtenspecificationsstatetheproperlengthofthe
chalkstick,aswellashowmanysticksshouldgoinabox.OnNovember18,1990,aFederalAct(PublicLaw100695)wentintoeffect,mandatingthatall
artmaterialssoldintheUnitedStatesmustbeevaluatedbyaqualifiedtoxicologistwhomustthenissuealabelexplainingtheirtoxicity.Toxicologistsare
concernednotwithcostbutwithsafety,andtheymustconsidermanyfactorsbeforegrantingapproval.Eachingredient,thequantityinwhichitisused,and
itspossibleadversereactionswithotheringredientsarestudied.Theproduct'ssizeandpackaging,itspotentialharmtohumans,anditstendencyto
produceallergicreactionsarealsoconsidered.Toxicologistsalsotakeintoaccounttheproductsuseandpotentialmisuse,aswellasallfederalandstate
regulations.Formulasforeverycolorandeveryformulachangemustmeetapproval.

Classroomchalkislabeled"CP[certifiedproduct]nontoxic"ifitmeetsthestandardsoftheArtandCraftMaterialsInstitute,anonprofitmanufacturers'
association.Thislabelcertifiesthatartmaterialsforchildrenarenontoxicandmeetvoluntarystandardsofqualityandperformance,andthatthetoxicityof
artmaterialsforadultshasbeencorrectlylabeled.TheCPsealalsoindicatesthattheproductmeetsstandardsofmaterial,workmanship,working
qualities,andcolordevelopedbytheArtandCraftMaterialsInstituteandotherssuchastheAmericanNationalStandardsInstituteandtheAmerican
SocietyforTestingandMaterials(ASTM).Toensurehonesty,mostchalkmanufacturersaretestedatrandombyanindependenttoxicologist,whochecks
toseethattheyaremeetingnontoxicstandards.Mostmanufacturersconformtosuchexactingstandardsbecauseknowledgeableschoolswillnot
purchasechalkthatisnotproperlylabeled.

The Future
Manypeopleconsiderusingchalkandchalkboardstopresentmaterialoutdated.Someexpertsclaimthatteachershavestubbornlyresistednew
technologiesthatcouldimproveteachingandeliminatethechalkboardentirely.Astudywhichrecentlyinvestigatedwhetherteachingwithoverhead
projectorswasmoreeffectivethanusingchalkboardsconcludedthatchalkboardsweremoreinteractive,progressive,andfruitful.
Adevelopmentmuchintheeducationalnewslatelyistheelectronicchalkboard.Inplaceofaregularchalkboard,ateacherusesalargeTVscreen,
inputtingmaterialsfromacomputerterminal.Inamoreadvancedscenario,eachstudentusesaterminal,towhichtheteachersendsinformationfroma
mastercomputer.Expertsclaimthatsuchsetupsaremorevisuallyexcitingtostudents,moreversatilethantheoldfashionedchalkboards,cleanerthan
dustychalk,easierfortheteachertouse,andbetterabletopresentmorecomplexmaterialthroughtheuseofgraphicsandanimation.Manystudieson
thefeasibilityofelectronicchalkboardshavebeenmade,however,andmostseemtofavorkeepingthetraditionalchalkboard,atleastfornow.Electronic
chalkboardsthataresophisticatedandeasilyreadableliebeyondthebudgetconstraintsandtechnologicalcapabilitiesofmostschools.Further,studiesof
theelectronicsystem'seffectivenessreportthatteacherswhouseitspentmoretimepreparingtheirlessons,teachersandstudentswerelessinteractive,
studentsweredissatisfiedwiththeelectronicchalkboards,andthenewdevicesdividedthestudents'attentionbetweenthescreenandtheteacher
conveyingtheinformation.Althoughtheenthusiasmforelectronicblackboardsinsomeareasremainshigh,chalkuseintheclassroomisguaranteedfor
sometimetocome.

Where To Learn More

Books
Boynton,Robert.ChemistryandTechnologyofLimeandLimestone.JohnWiley&Sons,1980.

Cobb,Vicki.TheSecretLifeofSchoolSupplies.J.B.Lippincott,1981.
http://www.madehow.com/Volume1/Chalk.html 3/5
11/9/2017 Howchalkismadematerial,making,used,processing,procedure,product,industry
InstitutionofCivilEngineersStaff,eds.Chalk.AmericanSocietyofCivilEngineers,1990.

Periodicals
Toth,Beth."JeanneOtis:AColorDialogue,"CeramicsMonthly.January,1988,p.40.

RoseSecrest

AlsoreadarticleaboutChalk(/knowledge/Chalk.html)fromWikipedia

User Contributions:
1
JacquelineNyathi Jul30,2007@4:04am
(/Volume

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particular,andlimestoneingeneral.

2
felix Aug6,2009@2:02am
(/Volume

TELLMETHEGOODRATIOFORCHALKMAKINGWHENYOUGETTHISMESSAGE

3
osuobenifidelia Aug7,2009@12:12pm
(/Volume

Thisarticleisveryinterestingandgoodforthosewhorinterestedinlearningandknowingtheoriginofthingsaroundthem.Amgladiwaspartof
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4
SamanthaLivermore Jan27,2010@3:15pm
(/Volume

CurrentlyIamastudentattheFashionInstituteofDesignandMerchandising(FIDM)inSanFransiscoandaclassIamtakingrequiresustoresearch
themostgreenhomeproductsbothhardandsoft.UsingchalkfordisplaysiscommonbutwiththegoalofsustainabilityandStayingasclosetohome
aspossible(SanFransisco)IwaswonderingifthereareanyknownchalkcompanyswithintheU.Swhosell/producechalk.Itsoundsabitcrazy,but
beeliminating"madeinchina"ourcarbonfootprintdropsdramatically.

5
ivan(mailto:ivan_corado[at]yahoo[dot]com) Jun24,2011@5:05am
(/Volume

howdowerecycleachalkdust?whatisthematerialsneededtosticktogetherthechalkparticles?

6
BrendanMcCullum(mailto:Bradpitt[at]gmail[dot]com) Aug18,2012@9:21pm
(/Volume

Thisarticlehasreallyhelpedmetounderstandthefactorsofmakingchalk,iverymuchlikedthestepbysteporientationandlookingforwardtolearn
moreinthiswebsite.

7
NotTelling Oct17,2012@6:18pm
(/Volume

MostTeachersusewhiteboardsandexpomarkers(/knowledge/Marker_pen.html)today

8
Michaeloluseto Jul17,2014@11:11am
(/Volume

Thearticleisgoodandhelpful.Plshowcanigetthematerialslikemould,drier,bismanualetctobuy?

9
girish Aug16,2014@2:02am
(/Volume

Howtomakeasnookerchalk(/knowledge/William_A__Spinks.html),canigetdetailaboutrowmaterialwithpicture

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