By heating it in an enclosed high-temperature steam boiler the siliceous particles were bound together and could be moulded or worked into filtering slabs, vases, tombstones, decorative architectural work, emery wheels and grindstones.
The process of heating the siliceous material in a steam boiler enabled it to be molded or crafted into various items such as filters, ornaments, memorials, architectural features, polishing tools, and sharpening stones, which were then used for specific purposes.