Ball Clay Mining Market Size, Share, and Industry Analysis By Application (Ceramics, Sanitary-ware, Tableware, Wall and Floor Tiles, Glazes and Engobes, Refractory Clays, Construction Ceramics, Electrical Porcelain Insulators, and Others) and Regional Forecast, 2024-2032

Ball clays are kaolinitic sedimentary clay, typically composed of 20-80% kaolinite, 10-25% mica, and 6-65% quartz, are fine-grained and plastic and, unlike most earthenware clays, produce a fine white quality. Colored ceramic bodies, that are popular among potters, are commonly used in constructing many ceramic objects whose primary role, besides their white color, is to impart plasticity or aid in rheological stability during forming.

Increasing investment in construction worldwide propels the demand for ball clay mining. Ball clay is used as tiles in the construction industry by mixing it with talc, feldspar, kaolin, and quartz/silica. It increases plasticity and improves binding properties, resulting in ball clay consumption. Furthermore, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), with investments across health care, public safety, and other public infrastructure, is expected to bode well for the E&C firms and is likely to accelerate reveue generation from non-residential projects.

• As per Invest India (National Investment Promotion & Facilitation Industry), in the financial year 2021, infrastructure activities accounted for a 13% share of the total Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows of USD 81.72 billion. Additionally, in March 2021, the Parliament passed a bill to set up the National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (NaBFID) to fund infrastructure projects in India.

The ball clay is a source of dioxin, which is highly toxic and can cause reproductive and developmental problems, damage the immune system, interfere with hormones, and also cause cancer. The dominant source of exposure to dioxin-like compounds for the general population is food, primarily dairy, meat, and fish products. Circumstances of vulnerability that can be significant in selected subpopulations include occupational exposures to workers in industries that create dioxins and consume large quantities of fish from contaminated areas. Farmers who consume meat and dairy products produced particularly from the sites and persons who live near waste incinerators are affected mainly by dioxins.

Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, a negative impact is expected on the ball clay market. Lockdown regulations and restrictions on domestic and international transportation and trade are anticipated to put forward significant supply chain barriers for the stakeholders operating in the current market for ball clay. Furthermore, several construction projects are delayed due to a labor shortage and growing economic uncertainty. The outbreak of COVID-19 has led to the postponement of investments or the start of new projects by about six months or a year. This is likely to have a short-term impact on the ball clay market.

KEY INSIGHTS

The report includes the following key findings:

• Recent advancements in the ball clay mining market


• Key industry trends


• Regulatory landscape in ball clay mining market


• Impact of COVID-19 on the market

SEGMENTATION

ANALYSIS BY APPLICATION

Based on application, the ball clay mining market has been segmented into ceramics, sanitary ware, tableware, wall and floor tiles, glazes and engobes, refractory clays, construction ceramics, electrical porcelain insulators, and others. The growing demand for sanitary-ware applications due to the rise in construction is predominantly fueling the growth of the global ball clay market. In India, for example, the government has initiated projects such as 100 smart cities and housing for all by 2022, which aim to boost housing construction over the forecast period. The government had planned to double investments in the infrastructure sector to around INR 100 lakh crore (~USD 1.5 trillion) over the next five years.

In addition, the country has more than 1,800 housing projects and is expected to embark on even larger projects in 2021. Eventually, ceramics and tableware applications will also increase the ball clay mining market growth. Ball clay provides the flexibility and strength for many types of ceramics, including dishware, which depend on their combination of materials. There is a high demand for high-quality and suitable clay to create the desired ceramic material, considering the wide use of ceramic materials. In its simplest form, ceramic refers to anything created by firing clay. In addition to its basic uses, ball clay is used in various combinations in the construction industry, agriculture, and horticulture.

Additionally, the market opportunities appear to be quite lucrative in the coming years, with ball clay as a non-ceramic application used as fillers and extenders in polymers, adhesives, plastics, sealants, fertilizers, and insecticides.

REGIONAL ANALYSIS

The global ball clay mining has been categorized into five key regions: North America, Latin America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East and Africa. The construction sector in the Asia Pacific has experienced steady growth recently due to fast-growing economies, rapid urbanization, and increasing infrastructure spending. The rising presence of foreign companies in the Asia Pacific region has also created a demand for new offices, buildings, manufacturing houses, and others, thereby fueling the growth of the region's construction sector. It thrives due to rising population, surging disposable incomes, and urbanization.

North America has experienced growth in the ball clay mining market considering the significance of the U.S. mining industry. The products produced in the mining industry create the basis for all production and provide the factories with raw materials necessary to manufacture their products. As such, the mining industry adds value to the American household. The U.S. is one of the world's largest producers and consumers of minerals and metals.

Latin America is an established producer of several minerals important for clean energy technologies and it can rely on its well-established mining sector. Historically, mining accounted for 13 to 19% of foreign direct investment in Latin America. The mining sector has great potential for development and increasing mining projects will increase the growth of the clay mining market.

The ball clay mining market is growing with increased demand from the construction industry, further supported by increased investment in transport, electricity, and broadband infrastructure projects across developed and developing countries. Internationally, the deposits of high-quality plastic clay are rarer than those of kaolin, which is currently known and exploited commercially and found in South West England. Most of the ball clay mines are present in the Middle East & Africa, which is a significant reason for fueling the demand for the ball clay market across the region.

KEY PLAYERS COVERED

The report covers the profiles of key players such as Amarnath Industries, Ashapura Group, Kothari Minerals, Modkha Marine Sdn Bhd, Ashok Alco-Chem Limited (AACL), Finore Minerals L.L.P., Old Hickory Clay Co., Sibelco, G&W Mineral Resources, and IMERYS Ceramics.

KEY INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS

• In May 2021, IMERYS Ceramics announced the opening of a new facility for performance minerals at its European Technology Center. Over an area of some 2500 m², the new location would focus on research and development resources on its key markets while at the same time enabling knowledge to be shared with our other laboratories elsewhere in the U.S., Asia, and Europe.

In May 2020, Sibelco acquired clay producer Euromineral L.L.C. based in Ukraine and Kurdyumovsky Plant PrJSC in the Donetsk region. These companies are managed under the divisions of Sibelco's Tiles, Engobes, and Engineered Stone. The acquisition strengthened the company's market position in Ukrainian clay, an essential raw material for producing porcelain stoneware worldwide.