India’s largest producer of micronised minerals, 20 Microns Ltd, began its kaolin operations in 1994 in Bhuj; located in the western region of India. In addition to kaolin, 20 Microns produces a number of other industrial minerals including: barytes, calcium carbonate (dry and wet), mica, nepheline syenite, silica and talc. The company also manufactures speciality chemicals, inorganic thickeners, opacifiers and matting agents.
Kaolin’s main end markets include ceramics, paints and coatings, paper, polymers, catalysts and pharmaceuticals, where it is used primarily in three forms: hydrous kaolin (refined and classified according to particle size and purity), calcined kaolin (heat treated to change its optical and physical properties, such as brightness and opacity), and metakaolin (heat treated for use in construction and cable industries).
The applicability and commercial value of kaolin is primarily based on the mineral’s whiteness and its fine particle size, which is capable of being...