Industrial minerals
Clay Minerals — Ceramic Body, Paper Coating & Industrial Filler
FOB Black Sea / MENA · CFR/CIF worldwide on request
Indicative price
USD 21–25 / MT
Indicative range, firm quote on request
Key parameters
Full product details
Product overview
Industrial clay minerals — kaolin, ball clay, fire clay and blended pit-run grades — supply the mineral backbone for ceramic tile and sanitaryware bodies, paper coating and filling circuits, rubber and plastics compounding, refractory brick plants, and cement additive lines. Unlike swelling bentonite, these aluminosilicate clays contribute plasticity, controlled shrinkage and inert filler volume without gelling fresh water, making them the standard feedstock where body recipes demand predictable firing behaviour and colour stability.
Our export range covers dried and milled powders classified to 200 mesh with Al2O3 between 18% and 35% depending on grade: lower-alumina ball clays for high-plasticity ceramic bodies, mid-range kaolinic clays for paper coating brightness above 75 ISO, and fire-clay fractions for refractory mixes that tolerate higher iron within controlled limits. Moisture is capped at 10% at loading to prevent hold caking on ocean routes; Fe2O3 held at 2% max protects white-body and coated-paper colour targets.
Material is quarried and processed at pits in Ukraine, Turkey and Central Asia, dried in rotary or flash dryers, then milled and bagged or bulk-loaded at dedicated mineral terminals on the Black Sea and MENA coast. Typical buyers include ceramic tile groups replacing regional pit supply, paper mills sourcing coating clay on CFR terms, rubber compounders using calcined or hydrous filler, and refractory producers blending fire clay into high-alumina brick recipes. HS code 2507.20 (kaolin and other kaolinic clays). MOQ from 1,000 MT on FOB, CFR or CIF terms.
Full specification
| Al2O3 (aluminium oxide) | 18–35% by grade (XRF on dried sample) |
| SiO2 (silicon dioxide) | 45–65% |
| Fe2O3 | 2.0% max |
| TiO2 | 1.5% max (coating-grade kaolin) |
| Moisture | 10.0% max at loading |
| Particle size | 85% min passing 200 mesh (74 μm); finer fractions on request |
| Brightness | 75–85 ISO (grade-dependent) |
| Plasticity index | 12–28 (ball clay and ceramic-body grades) |
| Bulk density (loose) | ≈ 0.9–1.2 t/m³ |
| HS code | 2507.20 (kaolin and other kaolinic clays) |
Loading ports & logistics
Clay minerals are fine dry powders — moisture control at load and adequate hold ventilation during voyage determine cargo quality. We coordinate three principal delivery modes depending on parcel size and receiver equipment.
1-tonne jumbo bags on flat-rack containers hold approximately 22–24 MT net per FEU and suit ceramic mills and rubber compounders with bag-breaking stations but limited bulk silo capacity. Ideal for parcels of 1,000–3,000 MT assembled from multiple container loads on FOB Black Sea or MENA origins.
25 kg paper sacks in 20-foot containers serve paper-coating plants and specialty ceramic blenders that meter small lots into slurry circuits. Twenty-foot loads typically carry 20–22 MT net; palletized stacking with moisture-barrier liners is standard.
Direct bulk vessel holds handle industrial contracts above 5,000 MT on long-haul routes to dedicated mineral jetties in India, Turkey and the Gulf. Grab-unload or pneumatic discharge at destination; FOB loading at exporter-nominated berth with draft survey and hold cleanliness certificate. CFR and CIF quotes include stowage factor confirmation and marine insurance. Typical lead time 10–22 days from contract execution to loading window.
Packaging & documentation
Cargo ships as dried powder in 1-tonne polypropylene jumbo bags (four-loop, UV-stabilized), 25 kg multi-wall paper sacks, bulk pneumatic tank trucks or direct vessel holds — jumbo-bag form is standard for containerized export. Each lot is accompanied by a mill certificate of analysis showing Al2O3, SiO2, moisture, iron oxide, particle-size distribution and brightness where applicable, safety data sheet (SDS) per GHS, commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading and certificate of origin.
Particle-size compliance is confirmed by sieve analysis on 200 mesh; coating-grade lots include ISO brightness measurement on the COA. Third-party inspection (SGS, Bureau Veritas or equivalent) at loading can be arranged on buyer request. For bulk vessel parcels, hold cleanliness certificate and loading moisture record are included in the shipping instructions package.
FAQ
Which clay mineral grades suit ceramics versus paper coating?
Ceramic tile and sanitaryware plants need ball clay and fire clay with high plasticity and controlled iron oxide — typically 22–30% Al2O3 with Fe2O3 below 2%. Paper-coating kaolin demands higher brightness (80+ ISO) and fine particle size below 2 μm. We match pit-run or milled grades to your body recipe or coating formulation and confirm specs on the mill COA before loading.
How is bulk clay mineral cargo shipped on FOB and CIF terms?
Clay moves as dried powder in bulk vessel holds, 1-tonne jumbo bags on flat-rack containers, or 25 kg paper sacks for smaller container lots. Moisture above 10% risks caking in holds during warm-voyage transit, so FOB loading includes inline moisture checks. Parcels from 1,000 MT suit handysize bulk carriers; containerized bagged loads suit ceramic mills without pneumatic silos.
What factors set the indicative clay minerals price per tonne?
FOB quotations reflect clay type (kaolin, ball clay, fire clay), Al2O3 and brightness targets, drying and milling cost at Black Sea and MENA pits, bagging versus bulk presentation, and freight to your discharge port. The USD 21–25/MT band covers current industrial filler and ceramic-body grades; firm pricing is fixed against a signed specification sheet at contract.
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