China's clay industry has transitioned from extensive resource utilization to refined classification, purification, and functional modification, driven by the evolving demands for formability, sintering behavior, and functional properties in downstream industries. In the 1980s and 1990s, relying on widely distributed clay resources (e.g., Jingdezhen china clay, Yixing purple sand clay, North China bentonitic clay), the industry focused on mining and simple crushing. Products were mostly ordinary clay lumps and coarse powder, primarily used in basic applications such as common bricks and tiles, construction mortar, and primary ceramic bodies, characterized by inconsistent composition, high variability in sintering shrinkage, and limited added value.

Since the turn of the century, demands from the high-end ceramics industry (artistic ceramics, specialty ceramics), green building materials (new wall materials), and environmental treatment (adsorbent materials), along with policy regulations, have driven the industry's transformation toward classification/sorting, fine processing, and application-specific customization. Higher purity is achieved through processes like elutriation and sedimentation. Formability and sintering stability are optimized through modification treatments. Products such as refined clay for ceramics, modified clay for building materials, and adsorbent clay for environmental protection have been developed, enabling breakthroughs in high-end tableware, new energy-efficient wall materials, and industrial wastewater treatment.

In recent years, high-end demands from new energy (precursors for lithium battery anode materials), 3D printing (ceramic filaments), and aerospace (high-temperature ceramic matrix composites) have emerged. Coupled with the evolution of relevant standards, the industry is accelerating its upgrade toward resource classification and high-end product specialization. China possesses abundant and diverse clay resources. Products cover various clay types (kaolinitic, smectitic (montmorillonitic), illitic) and a full range of forms: raw ore, refined clay powder, modified clay, and clay-based composite materials. These are widely used in dozens of fields, including ceramics, building materials, environmental protection, new energy, and aerospace.

We have set up a dedicated clay mineral testing team. Based on product type and application scenario (high-end ceramics, new building materials, environmental adsorption, lithium battery precursors), we provide customized testing services—including composition analysis (clay mineral content), impurity screening (iron, titanium, sulfur), and adsorption capacity testing—helping products build advantages in performance optimization and regulatory compliance.