MINERAL COMPOSITION OF QVEVRI RAW MATERIALS FROM THE IMERETI REGION

N. Poporadze; O. Seskuria; S. Gvelesiani; R. Metreveli

doi:10.52340/pajig.2026.137.03

Authors

N. Poporadze Georgian Technical University https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3664-3086
O. Seskuria Georgian Technical University https://orcid.org/0009-0007-4949-2965
S. Gvelesiani Georgian Technical University https://orcid.org/0009-0009-4840-6572
R. Metreveli Georgian Technical University https://orcid.org/0009-0008-3564-0549

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.52340/pajig.2026.137.03

Keywords:

qvevri, wine, Imereti, clay minerals, qvevri maker

Abstract

Qvevri clay is a polymineral material composed predominantly of kaolinite, montmorillonite, quartz, feldspars, and other minerals. These mineral components play a significant role in determining the plasticity of the raw material, its behavior during drying and firing, and the strength and functional suitability of the final product. This study investigates the petrographic and mineralogical characteristics of raw materials used for qvevri production in the Imereti region. Based on macroscopic and microscopic investigations, as well as X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyses, clay samples from Tqemlovana and Makatubani (Satsable) are characterized in terms of their mineralogical and chemical composition and their technological properties relevant to qvevri production.

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