What is the difference between domestically produced kaolin and imported products?

Kaolin is a pure fine-grained clay, mainly composed of Kaolinite minerals. Due to its physical and chemical properties such as whiteness, softness, good plasticity, and fire resistance, it is widely used in industries such as ceramics, refractory materials, coatings, paper making, and rubber. In recent years, with the application of kaolin in some high-tech fields, such as atomic reactors, aerospace, etc., Its value as a combat mineral raw material is becoming increasingly apparent. However, according to the editor of China Fan.com, high-end kaolin products are still "stuck" mineral materials for China, requiring a large reliance on imported kaolin, and there is still a certain gap in processing technology and equipment compared to foreign countries. The following is a rough comparison between domestic and imported kaolin products.

There is a significant price difference

According to the statistics of "Development and Application of Non metallic Minerals", from January to December 2016, the total and export value of China's kaolin were 1247254716 US dollars and 106110900 US dollars, respectively. During the same period, the total amount and amount of imported kaolin from China were 43171.64 tons and 99.3075 million US dollars, respectively. On average, in 2.16, the price of domestically produced kaolin was about 85 US dollars per ton, while the price of imported kaolin was about 230 US dollars per ton, nearly twice that of domestically produced kaolin

According to data from the China Academy of Commerce, the export volume of kaolin from China in 2017 was 11509.7 tons, with an export value of 114.9598 million US dollars. In 2017, the import volume of kaolin in China was 533702.5 tons, with an import value of 119.596 million US dollars. On average, the price of domestic kaolin in 2017 was about 99 US dollars per ton, while the price of imported kaolin was about 224 US dollars per ton. The price of imported products is still much higher than the domestic price.

There are significant differences in consumption structure

The consumption structure of kaolin in China is significantly different from the average level of the United States and other countries. The main consumption of kaolin in China is in the ceramic field, accounting for 5%, while the average consumption proportion in the ceramic field in countries such as the United States is about 15%. Compared with the low-end porcelain industry, in the paper industry, the consumption proportion of high-end domestic Kaolinite products is significantly less than that of the injured month, about 30%, while the average level of the United States and other countries is 45.8%. Therefore, domestic paper making kaolin mainly relies on high-quality and high priced imported products.

One reason for this is the low grade of kaolin resources in China. Although the reserves are large, most of them can only be used in the low-end porcelain field or as fillers. Moreover, there is a significant gap between domestic kaolin processing technology and equipment compared to foreign countries. Although China has developed various types of ultrafine crushing equipment, there is still a significant gap compared to advanced foreign equipment in terms of structure, material quality, processing accuracy, stability, and efficiency.

New products and new application areas are completely different

In addition to low-end products, the industrial structure of China's kaolin is very different from that of the United States and other countries in terms of Product development and new application. Although China has done a lot of research work, such as calcining Kaolinite products, synthesizing mn molecular sieves, high-temperature special ceramics, etc., Many of these products are still in the laboratory stage and there is still a long way to go before industrialization. Relatively speaking, foreign products and applications involve many aspects, including high-temperature refractory industries such as ceramic building materials, chemicals, environmental protection, textiles, atomic reactors, and jet aircraft.

There are significant differences in industrial concentration and scale

According to the relevant person in charge of the China Nonmetallic Mineral Association, the annual production of kaolin in China is about 7 million tons. Compared with international standards, the concentration of China's kaolin industry is relatively low, and the supervision of enterprises is generally relatively small. At present, there are too many domestic kaolin production companies with a production capacity of several hundred thousand, while the production capacity of major international kaolin production companies, such as France's Imnaira, is about 5.8 million tons; The production capacity of bgellard, Euber, and Tbiele in the United States is approximately 1.8 million tons, 1.4 million tons, and 1.2 million tons, respectively. The production capacity of Cadam in Brazil is approximately 1 million tons.

Product performance requirements vary greatly

Comparing the main performance indicators of high whiteness ultrafine kaolin produced by American kaolin production companies with the performance requirements of fine kaolin for special rubber and plastic coatings in China (referring to c/23870-2016 fine kaolin), it can be seen that the particle size of American kaolin is -2. The competitive nitrogen requirement is above 9%, and the domestic requirement is above E5% K; The 325 mesh residue of American kaolin should not exceed 0.5%