Kaolin for ceramics
We are the world’s largest producer of kaolin for ceramics
Kaolin, or ‘china clay’ as it is commonly called, is a hydrated aluminum silicate crystalline mineral formed over many millions of years by the hydrothermal decomposition of granite rocks. Often used as the principal ingredient in ceramics, kaolin’s high fusion temperature and white firing characteristics make it particularly suitable in a wide range of ceramics applications.
Imerys is the world’s largest producer of high-quality kaolin for ceramics, with deposits and processing plants in the UK, France, Brazil, the United States and Thailand. Additionally, our processing platforms in India, Algeria and Egypt ensure local kaolin production meets the specific technical challenges of each region.
Our vast portfolio of kaolins for the ceramics industry includes grades specifically tailored to meet the needs of wall and floor tile, slab, tableware, sanitaryware and glaze and engobe applications.
We fine-tune these kaolins to meet the specific requirements of the diverse markets we serve.
Why choose Imerys kaolins?
Because you can be sure of their consistent quality and performance in your end products every time.
Whether you’re manufacturing ceramic sanitaryware, tableware, tiles, large slabs, electrical porcelains or fiberglass, our kaolins provide consistently high performance.
We ensure predictable and trusted performance through the strict monitoring and control of our raw materials at every stage of production, guaranteeing they consistently meet stringent specifications.
Furthermore, the exceptional purity and consistent quality of Imerys kaolins enable our ceramics experts to precisely optimize their chemical, physical, and mechanical properties, resulting in a selection of grades tailored to our customers' exact specifications.
Our large portfolio of kaolins includes specially engineered kaolins that cover a wide range of casting rates and concentrations to deliver:
- Highly controlled rheology
- Highly controlled casting rate and deflocculant demand
- Good dry strength
- Excellent particle packing and associated good production yields
- Outstanding whiteness
- Our kaolins are specially formulated for optimal performance in both traditional and high-pressure casting (HPC) techniques.
Kaolins for tile and slab bodies
The high fusion temperature and white firing characteristics of our kaolins make them particularly suitable for the manufacture of tiles and large surface slabs, where they enhance whiteness, plasticity and fusibility.
Recommended kaolin grades for tiles and slabs
BIP is super white-and fusible premium kaolin.
Kaoshine GL2 is a highly plastic and fusible kaolin.
Kaopearl ND 53 is a very plastic kaolin.
MRD Prime is a high whiteness kaolin with optimised fluidity.
CR is a consistent kaolin, recognized for its high whiteness and purity. Being almost pure kaolinite, it is free from contaminants such as quartz or mica.
We provide other kaolin 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 ball clays, halloysites, feldspars and pegmatites, and kiln furniture solutions.
Kaolins for sanitaryware
Our extensive portfolio of extra white kaolins for sanitaryware are the trusted choice for sanitaryware producers worldwide.
They include a range of solutions which offer an optimal balance between fluidity, high dry and wet strength, low cast moisture and low residues.
We also offer a full range of kaolins specifically tailored to sanitaryware glazes.
Recommended kaolin grades for sanitaryware bodies and glazes
- Remblend
Remblend is a benchmark for sanitaryware body recipes, where it provides optimal balance of fluidity, dry strength and casting concentration/rate. Its high density allows manufacturers to cast at high density, giving higher yields.
- SPK Superfast casting kaolin
SPK is a casting rate enhancer in the production of vitreous china. It is designed to optimize casting rate and reduce cycle times in conventional and pressure casting technologies.
- KT-Cast
KT-Cast is a coarse-grained, white firing kaolin that is used primarily in casting bodies based on its fast casting and exceptional deflocculation characteristics.
- OptiKast
OptiKast is a coarse-grained kaolin with fast cast and exceptional deflocculation characteristics.
- KaoCast ND10
KaoCast ND10 stabilizes casting slips by improving slip rheology and stability. Its low deflocculant demand and reduced soluble salts extend mold life, providing cost and operational benefits.
- MRD SW - Fast casting Kaolin
- Kaocast Ultra - Fast casting fluid Kaolin
Our range for glazes includes high whiteness, low-impurity grades which promote an impeccable surface with no pinholes:
- NSC
- Grolleg
- Remblend
- Kaocast RN61
- MRD Lw cast2
- Kaocast ND56
- Kaocast ND50
We provide a broader range of kaolin 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 ball clays, 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.
Kaolins for tableware
We offer a wide portfolio of quality kaolins — from standard to extra white — specifically engineered to meet the requirements of different production methods:
- High workability for jiggering
- High mechanical strength after isostatic pressing
- Stable rheology for traditional casting and high pressure casting
Recommended kaolin grades for tableware
- KaoPearl CNL 30
KaoPearl CNL 30 is premium extra-white kaolin with high mechanical strength.
- Grolleg
Grolleg is high-whiteness kaolin with high mechanical strength.
- Standard Porcelain
Standard Porcelain is high-whiteness kaolin with good mechanical strength.
- Kaopearl ND30M - High whiteness kaolin with superior strength.
- Kaopearl ND53 - High plasticity & green strength with good whiteness.
Our range of kaolin 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 ball clays, halloysites, feldspars and pegmatites, and kiln furniture solutions.
Kaolins for glazes and engobes
Kaolin is the second most important component in glazes where it provides suitable rheology, plasticity and durability. In engobes, kaolin is also valued for its whiteness. For example, our French Kaolinor 1C and Kerbrient grades are world benchmarks for their properties and contribution to producing premium quality glazes in terms of:
- Absence of pinholes
- High gloss
- Smooth surface finish
- Good whiteness
Recommended kaolin grades glazes and engobes
- Kaolinor 1C
Kaolinor 1C is top-tier super white kaolin for glossy glazes.
- Kerbrient
Kerbrient is a high whiteness kaolin for glossy glazes.
- CR
CR is a high whiteness kaolin with consistent opacity.
- Allen G
Allen G is an intermediate-grained kaolin used as a suspension aid in ceramic glazes.
- Diamond
Diamond is an intermediate-grained montmorillonite kaolin known for its good strength and white-firing characteristics.
Global expertise and technical support services
As a trusted global supplier with decades of expertise in minerals and ceramics, we are ideally positioned to support your operations across Europe, the Middle East, the Americas, and Asia Pacific.
Our dedicated ceramics technical support teams, situated in Western Europe, North Africa, and Asia, have the in-depth expertise to help you optimize your formulations and processes to meet your specific goals. This includes offering bespoke assistance, such as laboratory or on-site training, to newcomers in the ceramics sector.
With robust logistics networks established in Europe and Asia Pacific, we guarantee the necessary delivery flexibility to ensure you receive the right product exactly when required, regardless of your manufacturing location.
Contact our ceramic specialists today to discuss how we can benefit your business.
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.
