Clay pit

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A clay pit is an open mine for the extraction of clay, which is generally used for manufacturing pottery or bricks.

The brick factory is often located alongside the clay pit to reduce the transport costs of the raw material. These days pottery producers are often not sited near the source of their clay and usually do not own the clay deposits. The other essential raw material is fuel for firing and potteries may be located near to fuel deposits rather than the clay.

Former claypits are sometimes filled with water and used for recreational purposes such as sailing and scuba diving. The Eden Project, near St Austell, Cornwall, UK is a major development of a former china clay pit for educational and environmental purposes.