2024-03-05
bentonite-KAOLIN, A VERY VERSATILE CLAY
Mexico has a large number of kaolin deposits, representing around 84% at the national level, according to data from the Ministry of Economy (2007). The main kaolin producing entities are: Veracruz, Guanajuato, and Hidalgo. Other producing states are also: Zacatecas, Jalisco and Chihuahua. The kaolin deposits in Mexico are very irregular, they come in various qualities, very heterogeneous sizes and with impurities such as iron oxides, quartz and silica. It is mainly channeled to the cement, paint, ceramics, paper and rubber industries. Most of the kaolin deposits are found on ejidal lands.The kaolin industry in Mexico has ample possibilities to develop further and take advantage of the existing demand. Among the actions that would have to be undertaken to make this possible are: carrying out an inventory of the mineral, which would allow identifying its vocation and consolidating the supply to the industries; On the other hand, the modernization of the production chain would guarantee the elevation of production to the level required by demand.