Ceramic Mineral Resources

Ceramic Mineral Resources

　　Ceramic clay minerals are the general term for raw materials used in making porcelain and pottery.

　　　　This region has extensive distribution of ceramic clay minerals, with abundant reserves and high quality. Among them, the main producing areas of pottery clay include Ji’an County (distributed in villages such as Nanshan, Shaxia, and Xikeng in Yonghe Town); the main producing areas of porcelain clay include Ninggang County (Dongshang, Getian Township, and other areas), Taihe County (Laoyingpan, Zhonglong, Shangtian, Bixi Township, and other areas), Anfu County (Chenshan and other areas), and Xingan County (Shuidong Village in Yijiang Township), among others.

　　　　Pottery clay was the main raw material used in the production of ancient ceramic artworks at the “Jizhou Kiln” during the Tang Dynasty in this region. The production of Jizhou Kiln ceramics has a history of over 1,000 years. Its traditional craft products, such as the “Wood Leaf Tenmoku Bowl,” are world-renowned and are now listed as national treasures. In 1982, Ji’an County established the Jizhou Ancient Ceramics Research Institute and the Jizhou Ceramics Factory, which utilized this pottery clay to restore and replicate precious traditional products and develop new craft products. Their products have received high praise from experts in China, Japan, and other countries.

　　　　Porcelain clay is the main raw material for firing porcelain and craft products. This region’s porcelain clay is of high quality and widely distributed, with just Ninggang and Taihe counties alone having over 10.433 million tons. The porcelain clay contains few impurities, with aluminum oxide and silicon dioxide content at 17.22% and 70.51%, respectively. The quality of the porcelain clay is superior to that of Jingdezhen and Liling in Hunan. Currently, counties such as Ninggang, Taihe, and Anfu have established porcelain factories, and their products are sold both within and outside the province.