| In ceramics/glazing applications, calcium carbonate is known as whiting, and   is a common ingredient for many glazes in its white powdered form. When a glaze   containing this material is fired in a kiln, the whiting acts as a flux material   in the glaze. Ground calcium carbonate is an abrasive (both as scouring powder   and as an ingredient of household scouring creams), in particular in its calcite   form, which has the relatively low hardness level of 3 on the Mohs scale of   mineral hardness, and will therefore not scratch glass and most other ceramics,   enamel, bronze, iron, and steel, and have a moderate effect on softer metals   like aluminium and copper. A paste made from calcium carbonate and deionized   water can be used to clean tarnish on silver. |