Ball clay for ceramics
Imerys has ball-clay assets the world over
Ball clay is an extremely rare mineral, only found at a handful of locations around the world. Imerys owns and mines high-quality ball clay deposits in the UK, France, Thailand and the United States.
Additionally, our processing platforms in India, Algeria and Egypt ensure local ball clay production meets the specific technical challenges of each region.
Ball clays are highly valued in the ceramics industry for the manufacturing of sanitaryware, tableware, tiles and slabs, technical ceramics and electrical porcelains, where they are essential for controlling the plasticity and casting properties of the ceramic body, for blend cohesion and for improving workability.
Our ball-clays offer a unique balance of properties
Our ball clays for ceramics are characterized by their unique balance of properties, such as:
- High plasticity
- High unfired mechanical strength
- Highly controlled rheological properties
- Controlled organic content
- Controlled residue
- Excellent workability
We guarantee the excellence of every batch with consistent, first-rate raw materials.
Our ball clay offer for sanitaryware
Used in sanitaryware, ball clay is crucial for achieving the precise shaping of the final sanitaryware piece.
Our comprehensive range of ball clays for sanitaryware offers varying degrees of plasticity, fluidity, and strength — allowing you to select the ideal grade to match your specific formulation requirements.
Due to their balanced properties and consistent quality, all of our ball clay grades are suitable for high pressure casting (HPC). Our optimized grades for HPC — such as Hycast Rapide and Proxicast — have demonstrated excellent performance in HPC applications.
Our ball clay grades for sanitaryware are produced in the UK, Egypt, Algeria, India, Thailand and the United States.
Recommended ball clay grades for sanitaryware
Hycast VC
Hycast VC is a balanced ball clay with good all round properties (fluidity, strength and plasticity). It is a versatile clay, presenting:
- Medium dry mechanical strength
- Medium casting rate
- Stable rheology due to the presence of organic species
Hycast Plastic
Hycast Plastic is a ball clay demonstrating high plasticity, low residue and good fluidity.
It is ideal for achieving:
Fewer cracks: good rheological properties promote cleaner draining slip, eliminating slip hang up — a major cause of cracking.
Less damage: high MoR means less damage during handling.
Plasticity: crucial to finishing (cutting and punching) and forming of the piece and to resisting stress during drying.
Hycast Rapide
Hycast Rapide is a high casting ball clay combining increased casting rate with good mechanical strength. It is specifically designed to meet the requirements of High-Pressure Casting (HPC) units.
Hycast FFC
Hycast FFC is a specially blended, shredded ball clay valued in Fine Fireclay (FFC) applications due to two key properties:
- Superior fluidity - enabling the creation of high-density slips.
- Higher silica content - promoting high thermal expansion in the fired piece, ensuring a strong body-glaze interface.
- Proxiplast
Featuring a fine particle size distribution, Proxiplast delivers high strength, fluidity and low residue, making it ideal for producing sanitaryware pieces with good plasticity.
- Proxicast
With a slightly coarser particle size distribution, Proxicast provides firmer green strength for easier handling and shaping.
- Modiscast S2
Modiscast S2 is a fully refined, fluid, high strength ball clay with medium to low carbon content. The fine particle size compliments bodies using coarse fast casting kaolin to improve green strength and optimize drying properties.
- Thaicast S1
Thaicast S1 is a semi-refined clay providing a good balance between plasticity, fluidity and particle size distribution. It is suitable for all casting processes.
- Certicast R8i
Certicast R8i is a shredded ball clay blend demonstrating medium strength, fluidity and optimized medium sized particle size distribution. Specifically designed to complement local kaolin properties, it provides enhanced firmness and drying performance of sanitaryware bodies.
- Old Mine #4
Old Mine #4 is a fine-grained ball clay with excellent plasticity and strength, popular for both casting and plastic formed bodies. It is also widely used as a suspension aid in glazes.
- Old Mine #4/SB
Old Mine #4/SB is a fine-grained ball clay for exceptional casting with high plasticity and green strength characteristics.
- Todd Light
Todd Light is a fine-grained ball clay providing excellent strength and plasticity.
- Jackson
Jackson is a fine-grained, high alumina ball clay renowned for its excellent fired colour, strength and plasticity. Used in both casting and plastic formed bodies.
- L-1
L-1 is a coarse-grained, fast casting ball clay used exclusively in casting bodies.
We provide a broader range of ball clay solutions for sanitaryware beyond those spotlighted here. Contact our sales team to explore how we can tailor our products and expertise to your specific needs.
Our sanitaryware range also features a full range of kaolins, chamottes, feldspars, wollastonites and talcs* — as well as kiln furniture solutions.
*Talc products are not available in the USA and Canada. Contact us for an alternative range.
Our ball clay portfolio for tableware
In tableware production, ball clay — when used alongside kaolin, feldspar, and quartz — delivers both high plasticity and a bright white-fired finish.
Our tableware-grade ball clays are engineered to provide an exceptional balance of whiteness and plasticity, ensuring superior workability and consistent results. Additionally, naturally occurring organic matter in our clays stabilizes rheology, reducing the need for deflocculants and minimizing related defects.
We offer a wide range of ball clays from the UK, US and France which are especially well-suited to meet the exacting standards of tableware manufacturers.
Recommended ball clay grades for tableware
- FMT
FMT is a high plasticity ball clay, recommended for jiggering.
- Hywhite Superbe
Hywite Superbe is a high whiteness, high fluidity ball clay, recommended for both pressing and casting processes.
- Hywhite Magnum
Hywhite Magnum is a high-whiteness ball clay, recommended for pressing, casting and jiggering.
- Todd Light
Todd Light is a fine-grained ball clay providing excellent strength and plasticity.
- J-2
J-2 is a fine-grained ball clay with good plasticity and strength. It is particularly noted for its exceptional white firing characteristics.
- Tennessee #5
Tennessee #5 is particularly renowned for its fast casting properties, making it ideal for tableware applications.
Our range of ball clay solutions for tableware is not restricted to those presented here. Contact our sales team to explore how we can tailor our products and expertise to your specific needs.
Our mineral offer for tableware also includes prepared bodies, glazes, as well as a range of kaolins, halloysites, feldspars and pegmatites, and kiln furniture solutions.
Our ball clay solutions for tiles and slabs
For wall and floor tiles, as well as large surface slabs, ball clays deliver unmatched plasticity and bonding strength. In engobes, they ensure optimal adhesion and coverage, guaranteeing a flawless finish for your ceramic bodies.
Our comprehensive range of ball clays — primarily produced in France, UK and US — offers tailored solutions to match every formulation type. Providing varying degrees of whiteness, fluidity, and strength, you can select the perfect grade to meet your specific needs.
Recommended ball clay grades for tiles and slabs
- Flashtop
Flashtop is a premium, very white and plastic clay blend.
- FMT
FMT is used to increase tile body plasticity when added to local clays: added to a kaolinitic white ball clay or kaolin, it allows good mechanical strength and a less colored body.
- RC2816
Standard fusible ball clay blend.
- RC115
Plastic clay blend suitable for thick tiles.
- TSMA
TSMA is a white, plastic clay.
- Powerplast FR31
Powerplast FR31 ball clay blend is designed as a single plastic component for porcelain tiles.
- Hymod Amalia
Hymod Amalia is a very fusible and plastic clay for clear bodies.
- Powerplast DR30
Powerplast DR30 is a fusible, fluid and medium plasticity clay for white bodies.
- Old Mine #4
Old Mine #4 is a fine-grained ball clay with excellent plasticity and strength that is widely used as a suspension aid in glazes.
- Bright Coatings 2
Bright Coatings 2 is a high quality ball clay formulated specifically for engobes, designed to maximize opacity and fired color while providing a flat, smooth surface.
- Tennessee #10
Tennessee #10 is an intermediate-grained, low organic ball clay for ceramic glazes.
- TN Stone
TN Stone is an intermediate-grained ball clay with good pressing and firing characteristics making this clay an ideal choice for light body porcelain tile applications.
- Super Strength #2
Super Strength #2 is a fine grained high strength ball clay with a combination of high plasticity and low carbon making it an excellent choice for large format porcelain tile.
- RR-1
RR-1 is a fine-grained high strength and plasticity clay designed to meet the green requirements of large format porcelain tile.
- Milby
Milby is a fine-grained ball clay known for its excellent fired color and strength.
We provide other ball clay solutions for tiles and slabs beyond the ones showcased in this section. Contact our sales team to explore how we can tailor our products and expertise to your specific needs.
Our mineral offer for tiles and slabs also includes prepared bodies, glazes, as well as a range of kaolins, halloysites, feldspars and pegmatites, and kiln furniture solutions.
A global partner of choice supporting you with recognized expertise
We are a dedicated and reliable global supplier with a strong presence across Europe, the Middle East, the Americas and Asia Pacific, allowing us to support your operations worldwide.
Our highly experienced technical support teams in Western Europe, North Africa, and Asia are ready to assist you in optimizing your formulations and processes to help you achieve your specific goals. Additionally, we are committed to serving new ceramics players through dedicated support, including on-site or laboratory training.
With logistic platforms in Europe and Asia Pacific, we offer the delivery flexibility needed to ensure you receive the right product on time, regardless of your manufacturing location.
Talk to our ceramic experts to find out more about how we can help.
Sanitaryware
Ceramics
Imerys supplies high-performance mineral solutions used in ceramic manufacturing across sanitaryware, tableware, tiles and technical ceramics. Our portfolio of kaolin, ball clay, feldspar, wollastonite and talc supports ceramic body formulation, glaze performance and firing stability. Ceramic producers across Europe, Asia, Middle East, Africa, North and South America rely on Imerys minerals to improve product strength, surface quality, whiteness and manufacturing efficiency.
