Product History
Early Origins and Ancient Uses
One of the earliest black tinting materials known to humankind was charred animal bones, a byproduct of early cooking fires. By 2650 BC, bone char was already in use, as evidenced by its application in painting the interior walls of Perneb’s tomb in Egypt. During the 18th Dynasty in Thebes, artists ground bone char with gum to create early forms of paint. Over time, this pigment found various applications beyond art, including medicinal uses by Hippocrates, who employed it for treating ailments such as epilepsy, anthrax, and gangrenous ulcers. The medical benefits of bone char persisted well into the 18th century, and today, activated charcoal remains an important purification agent in the pharmaceutical industry.
The Buffalo Bone Trade and Industrial Expansion
With settlers moving westward into the American Heartland, vast quantities of buffalo bones littered the prairies, initially seen as a nuisance. However, by 1884, the bones became a valuable commodity when fertilizer plants back East expressed interest in purchasing them. A thriving industry emerged, with four hundred trainloads of bones shipped annually. Settlers, including children, collected bones to supplement their family income, exchanging them for cash, goods, or trade receipts known as "Buffalo Bone Money."
The industry grew rapidly, with bones being transported to major cities such as Minneapolis, Chicago, and Philadelphia. The demand for bones fueled the expansion of companies like Michigan Carbon Works, which was established in 1873 in Detroit. The company specialized in producing bone charcoal for the sugar industry but soon expanded into glues, fertilizers, and other bone-derived products. By the 1880s, its production reached 5,000 tons of high-quality bone charcoal per year, making it one of the most extensive carbon works operations in the United States.
Bone Char in Sugar Refining and the Birth of an Industry
By the late 18th century, bone char found a new and significant application: sugar refining. In the 1790s, charcoal was discovered as an effective means of clarifying sugar liquors during crystallization. Louis Constant received a patent for this process in 1812, following earlier research by M. Figuier, a Montpellier pharmacist, who demonstrated that bone char was superior for decolorizing wines and vinegars. This discovery laid the foundation for the use of bone char in sugar refining and led to its adoption by companies such as Payen & Sons and Pluvinet. This marked the beginning of an industry that would later flourish in the United States.
The Rise of Carbon Black and the Decline of Bone Black
As the 20th century progressed, bone black pigments found increasing use in industries such as ink, cosmetics (e.g., mascara), and paints. However, the rise of the oil industry introduced a new competitor: carbon black. This cheap and widely available byproduct of oil refining began to replace bone black in many applications. Initially discarded or given away, carbon black became a commercial product as its demand grew. By the mid-20th century, bone black was largely overshadowed, surviving only in niche markets where its superior handling properties were still valued.
Decline of Buffalo Bones and Industry Adaptation
As buffalo bones became scarce in the 1890s, bone scavengers resorted to raiding Native American burial sites, leading to significant ethical and legal conflicts. Eventually, human bones were banned from the industry, and companies had to seek alternative sources of raw materials. Michigan Carbon Works, anticipating this crisis, stockpiled bones and later diversified into phosphorous-rich bone black dust for fertilizers. Despite the decline in buffalo bone availability, the industry survived by adapting to changing materials and demands.
The Ebonex Corporation and the Modern Era
In the 1960s, the American Agricultural Chemical Company (Agrico) began consolidating bone char producers, including Michigan Carbon Works. As Agrico withdrew from the Detroit area, the bone black division was sold, leading to the formation of the Ebonex Corporation. Ebonex relocated its operations to Melvindale, Michigan, where it continues to produce bone black pigments today. While no longer sourced from the prairies, charred animal bones are still processed in much the same way as they were over a century ago. Ebonex upholds a legacy of quality and customer service, maintaining bone black pigments as a valued product in specialized industries.