Clays 
By Sarkis G. Ampian' 
  259 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total quantity of clays sold or used by domestic producers increased 3%
in tonnage but decreased slightly in value. Clays in one or more of six classification
categories, ball clay, bentonite, common clay and shale, fire clay, fuller's
earth, or kaolin, were produced in 44 States and Puerto Rico during 1985
Clay production as in 1984 was not reported in Alaska, Delaware, the District
of Columbia, Hawaii, Rhode Island, Vermont, or Wisconsin. The leading seven
States in descending order were Georgia Texas, North Carolina, Wyoming, California,
Ohio, and Alabama. Unpredictable shortages of natural gas and the cost of
fuels were major concerns to clay producers and manufacturers until yearend,
when an oil glut caused by world overproduction started softening energy
prices. Industrywide efforts to economize by reducing capital and/or energy
costs, although persistent during the year, intensified at yearend. Environmental
restrictions and associated costs, combined with persistent high capital
costs, continued to hinder production. 
 Production of common clay and shale increased because of an upturn in construction,
due in part to the softening of interest rates and improving business climate,
that 
increased demand for clay building materials—brick, portland cement,
floor and wall tile, and vitrified sewer pipe. An exception to the Nation's
buoyant construction rates were those noted in the oil producing States of
Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas, because declining oil revenues depressed
residential, business, and governmental construction activity. Increases
in production of the specialty clays, ball clay and fuller's earth, were
caused largely by an improvement in the overall economy. Production of bentonite,
fire clay, and kaolin declined because their major consumers, the steel,
oil and gas exploration, and foundry industries, were in a period of readjustment
with lower production levels. 
 Kaolin accounted for 17% of the clay production but 59% of clay value. Kaolin
production of 7.8 million short tons decreased from that of 1984. 
 Domestic Data Coverage.—Domestic production data for clays are
developed
by the Bureau of Mines from one voluntary survey of U.S. operations. Of the
1,084 operations covered by the survey, 1,004 responded, representing 93%
of the total clay and shale production sold or used shown in table 1. 
 
 
Table 1.—Salient U.S. clays and clay products statistics' 
(Thousand short tons and thousand dollars) 
 
 
1981 
1982 
1983 
1984 
1985 
Domestic clays sold or used by producers Quantity                       
    Value                               
44,379 
$988,845 
35,345 
$825,064 
40,858 
$931,092 
r43,702 
 
r$1,032,127 
$1,011,377 
Exports: 
Quantity                            Value                               
Imports for consumption: 
Quantity                            Value                               
Clay refractories shipments: Value            Clay construction products
shipments: Value - - - - 
3,151 
$292,914 
 
33 
$7,895 
$609,949 
$971,824 
2,619 
$267,700 
 
24 
$4,514 
$559,655 
$923,459 
2,484 
$254,237 
 
21 
$3,488 
$595,299 
$1,160,543 
2,699 
$295,733 
 
32 
$4,868 
$782,308 
$1,342,196 
2,780 
$309,871 
 
41 
$5,981 
$629,738 
$1,427,851 
' Excludes Puerto Rico