Glaze material · Fluxes, feldspars & frits
Lithium carbonate
A powerful alkaline flux, active from low to high temperatures, with a low coefficient of expansion.
In published recipes
Used in 1,064 of 10,859 glaze recipes (9.8%)
Typical amount when present
4.1% of the dry batch — half of recipes fall between 2.5% and 8%.
Fired surface of those recipes
Glossy 42% · Matte 33% · Satin matte 14% · Semi-glossy 11%
Most often mixed with
Materials that appear in the same recipes most often.
Chemistry
- Raw formula
- Li2CO3
- Molecular weight
- 74
- Fired formula
- Li2O
- Equivalent weight
- 74
From Linda Arbuckle's materials table. Mineral formulas are idealized; buy an analysis for the bag you have. Equivalent weight is the weight that supplies one molecule of the fired oxide — the number glaze calculation uses.
What potters should know
Excess causes shivering. Gives mechanically soft glazes and matte crystalline surfaces, deflocculates glazes so they settle hard, and produces classic alkaline colours: turquoise with copper, plum with manganese, ultramarine with cobalt.
Handling and safety
Contains lithium carbonate. Moderate toxicity via ingestion; handle with standard glaze-mixing PPE.
Dry ceramic materials generate respirable silica dust. Use a NIOSH-approved N95 or P100 respirator and adequate ventilation when mixing dry, and wet-clean surfaces.
This information is provided for planning purposes and is derived from publicly available sources including OSHA regulations, NIOSH guidance, and manufacturer safety data sheets. It does not constitute professional safety advice. Consult your material suppliers' SDS documents and applicable local regulations for authoritative safety guidance.
Questions
- How much Lithium carbonate do potters use in a glaze?
- Across 1,064 published glaze recipes containing it, the typical amount is 4.1% of the dry batch, with half of recipes between 2.5% and 8%. Colorants and additives sit far lower than fluxes and glass formers; treat these as a range to test around, not a target.
- What cone is Lithium carbonate used at?
- It appears in recipes across the range; the most common cones among published recipes are cone 6, cone 7, cone 10. Where a material sits depends on the rest of the recipe more than on the material itself.
- Is Lithium carbonate safe to use?
- It carries a specific hazard flag: Contains lithium carbonate. Moderate toxicity via ingestion; handle with standard glaze-mixing PPE. Read the supplier's SDS and follow local rules before using it, and never assume a glaze is food-safe without testing.
Sources. Usage figures are computed by Claybench over 10,859 glaze recipes compiled from publicly shared community recipe collections (snapshot 2026-02-27) — counts only; no recipe is reproduced, and the figures describe that collection, not every recipe in existence. Material roles and notes are paraphrased from Linda Arbuckle's Ceramic Materials handout unless noted. Hazard notes summarise supplier SDS guidance; read the SDS for the product you buy.
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