Ball Clay

Ball Clay

Ball clay is a fine-grained, highly plastic clay mineral valued for its ability to enhance workability in ceramic bodies. It primarily contains fine kaolinite particles, along with minor amounts of other clay minerals, mica, and quartz. This unique composition delivers exceptional plasticity and green strength, making ball clay essential in the manufacture of porcelain, sanitaryware, and tiles. Ball clay enhances both the formability and mechanical strength of unfired ceramic products and improves rheology in ceramic slips and engobes for uniform drying and reliable fired performance.

Key Benefits

• Exceptional plasticity: Fine particle size delivers superior workability and ease of shaping during casting and extrusion.
• High green strength: Provides reliable form retention in unfired bodies, supporting thin-walled ceramics and intricate shapes.
• Consistent firing performance: Enhances density and lowers porosity, balancing shrinkage and improving fired properties in porcelain and stoneware.
• Improved whiteware aesthetics: Low-iron varieties maximize whiteness and translucency in porcelains.
• Thermal durability: Supplies dry strength for refractory and kiln furniture in high-temperature applications.

Available Grades

• Powdered ball clay: Finely ground for precise control of plasticity in dry mixes.
• Noodle/extrusion forms: Semi-dried, extruded strips or nodules for consistent dosing in slip casting.
• Filter cake (wet): High-moisture form from vacuum filtration, used directly in ceramic slips and tile casting.
• High-whiteness clay: Low-iron grades for maximized whiteness in whiteware.
• High-strength clay: Enhanced particle packing for extra green and fired strength.

Applications

Key Application Areas

Ceramics manufacturing: Used in porcelain, earthenware, stoneware, and sanitaryware (toilets, sinks).

Tiles & sanitary products: Ideal for floor and wall tiles, ceramic body engobes, and slip casting of sanitary fixtures.

Moulding & casting: Used in foundry moulds and ceramic slip casting to boost cohesive strength and suspension of particles.

Refractories: Added to refractory mixes for improved plasticity and dry strength, helping shapes retain form under high heat.

Ceramic coatings & glazes: Acts as an extender, stabilizing liquid suspensions and controlling glaze shrinkage during drying.

Fillers & extenders: Applied in specialized fillers where plasticity and fine texture are required.

Why Choose Us?

With decades of experience supplying premium clays to the ceramics industry, we deliver consistent quality and optimal performance in every batch of ball clay. Our products meet strict purity and particle size distribution standards, minimizing impurities like iron and carbon that can affect fired color. Our technical team tailors clay formulations to your specific needs and ensures timely global supply for just-in-time delivery. Choose us for high-quality ball clay and dedicated support that elevate your ceramic process and final product quality.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is ball clay used for?

A: Ball clay is used in ceramic whiteware and sanitaryware to improve plasticity and strength in clay bodies, allowing casting slips and porcelain to hold fine detail and resist cracking.

Q: How does ball clay differ from kaolin?

A: Ball clay contains kaolinite plus other minerals such as illite and montmorillonite, giving it much higher plasticity and greater workability and shrinkage compared to pure kaolin.

Q: Can ball clay be used in refractory mixes?

A: Yes. Its plasticity helps bind refractory aggregates and imparts green strength, making it ideal for ramming and forming refractories.

Q: What form factors are available for ball clay?

A: We supply ball clay as dry powders, semi-moist noodles/extrusions, and wet filter cake, offering flexibility for various ceramic processing methods.

Q: How should I store ball clay?

A: Store in a cool, dry place. For filter cake forms, keep covered to prevent drying—proper storage preserves plasticity and prevents carbonation.

Products:

• Cerillite: Unique blended ball Clay – Appropriate plasticity with white firing L value 92*
• Ceraplas: Processed Ball Clay – Higher plasticity and dry strength
• White ICC Plus