Clays in one or more of the classification categories (kaolin, ball clay, fire clay, bentonite, fuller's earth, or common clay and shale) were produced in 47 States and Puerto Rico. Clay production was not reported in Alaska, the District of Columbia, Rhode Island, or Vermont. The States leading in output were Georgia, 5.8 million tons; Texas, 4.6 million tons; and Ohio, 4.0 million tons; followed in order by North Carolina, Alabama, and California. Georgia also led in total value of clay output with $119.1 million; Wyoming was second with $17.4 million. Compared with

1970 figures, clay production increased in 27 States and value increased in 25 States. Total quantity of clays sold or used by domestic producers in 1971 was approximately 3 percent higher in tonnage and 2 percent higher in total value. The total value of clays produced was an alltime high. Modest increases in value per ton were reported for all clays except fuller's earth, which declined slightly in value.

Kaolin in 1971 accounted for only 9 percent of the total clays but for 46 percent of the domestic clay and shale value.

KAOLIN

Domestic production of kaolin in 1971 decreased less than 1 percent while the reported total value increased 9 percent. The average unit value for all grades of kaolin in 1971 was $25.79, $2.22 higher than in 1970. Kaolin was produced from mines in 20 States. Two States, Georgia (76 percent) and South Carolina (9 percent), accounted for 85 percent of the total U.S. production in 1971. Ohio ranked third with 5 percent, Arkansas fourth with 3 percent, and Alabama fifth with 1 percent. Output in 1971 declined in Alabama, Ar

kansas, Georgia, South Carolina, Texas, and Utah. Increased production was noted in California, Florida, Idaho, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania. New producing States in 1971 were Arizona, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, Ohio, and Oregon.

Kaolin is defined as a white claylike material approximating the mineral kaolinite. It has a specific gravity of 2.6 and a fusion point of 1,785°C. The other kaolin group minerals, such as halloysite and dickite, are encompassed.

1 Physical scientist, Division of Nonmetallic Minerals.

facilities at Gordon, Ga. American Industrial Clays Co. of Sandersville increased their processing capacity for producing their special high-brightness coating clay near Sandersville, Ga. Anglo-American Clay Corp. and Union-Camp joined in an exploration venture on the latter's land around Sandersville. Babcock & Wilcox installed a new $250,000 pollution control system at its Albion facility near Hephzibah, Ga. Mulcoa, a Division of Combustion Engineering, Inc., expanded its refractory grog production from 100,000 to well over 250,000 tons per year at their Ander

sonville, Ga., plant. The expansion program included adding new kilns to their facility.

Port Royal Clay Co. announced plans to expand their kaolin clay export facility in Port Royal, Beaufort County, S.C. Interpace Corp. completed a $2.5 million expansion at its Ione, Calif., kaolin clay plant. The expansion included an additional rotary kiln for increasing the production capacity of calcined kaolin to over 100,000 tons per year. Universal Acceptance Corp. has acquired California Nonmetallics, an Orange County, Calif., producer of kaolin clay products.

Kaolin prices quoted in the trade journals rose in 1971 from 5 to 18 percent. Oil, Paint and Drug Reporter, December 27, 1971, quoted prices as follows:

Water washed, fully calcined, bulk

carload lots, f.o.b. Georgia, per ton.. Partially calcined, same basis, per ton. Paper-grade, uncalcined, same basis, per ton:

No. 1 coating..

No. 2 coating.

No. 3 coating..

$68.00 59.00

40.00-41.00

32.00-33.00

31.00-32.00

Filler, general purpose, same basis, per ton

Delaminated, water washed, uncal

cined, paint-grade, 1-micron
average, same basis, per ton.

19.50

67.00

Dry-ground, airfloated, soft, same basis, per ton..

14.00

National Formulary, powder, 50

Exports of kaolin, as reported by the U.S. Department of Commerce, decreased from 816,000 short tons valued at $27.3 million in 1970 to 673,000 tons valued at $26.1 million in 1971. The tonnage exported was 18 percent below that shipped in 1970, but the value declined only 4 percent. The unit value per ton increased $5.37. This decrease in kaolin exports was attributed to both the general worldwide recession and the return of the United Kingdom's china clay industry to normalcy.

Kaolin was exported to 53 countries. The recipients were West Germany, 24 percent; Italy and Canada, 22 percent each; Japan, 12 percent; and the remaining countries, 20 percent. Generally, exports to all countries decreased, except for those to West Germany, Italy, and Venezuela, which increased 90, 13, and 11 percent, respectively. The kaolin producers reported the end use of their exports were paper coating, 69 percent; paper filling and rubber, 9 percent each; and others, including firebrick, paint, and plastics, 13 percent.

Kaolin imports in 1971 continued the downward trend reported for a number of years, to 44,622 short tons valued at $907,000 from 65,335 tons valued at $1.25 million. The United Kingdom supplied over 95 percent; West Germany, 4 percent; and Canada, Japan, and New Zealand, the remaining 1 percent.