Whiting (Calcium Carbonate)

Aragonite, calcium carbonate, cuttle fish bone, oyster shell, Ball clay, kaolin, minspar 200, silica, darvan, mason stain #6121, panel nails, fir. 

Also known as whiting, calcium carbonate is probably the most familiar material outside of ceramics. It is found in both geological and biological sources like the mineral aragonite and calcite, egg and snail shells, oyster shells and a variety of fish bones, and is an indicator of life in fossils.

It’s used in dietary supplements, one of which being Tums. Tum’s always make me think about my childhood. My sister and I would eat Tums like candy. My mom always had them in her purse or in the center console of our car, and when she’d run in the bank we each sneak a handful. I loved the berry flavor and my sister
always enjoyed the tropical ones.

When I fi rst moved to New Mexico, I took a trip to the Jemez Mountains where the Soda Dam is located. The dam is a grouping of hot springs formed by calcium carbonate and travertin formation creating a bridge over the Jemez River.