Key Takeaways
- Global kaolin consumption reached 38 million metric tons in 2022.
- Paper industry consumed 55% of global kaolin at 21 million tons in 2022.
- Ceramics sector used 25% of kaolin, or 9.5 million tons globally in 2022.
- Global kaolin market size valued at $4.2 billion in 2022.
- Kaolin market projected to grow to $5.8 billion by 2028 at 5.2% CAGR.
- Paper segment held 52% share of kaolin market revenue in 2022.
- Global kaolin production in 2022 totaled 42 million metric tons, with China leading at 3.8 million metric tons.
- United States kaolin production in 2022 was 5.47 million metric tons, primarily from Georgia.
- Brazil produced 2.1 million metric tons of kaolin in 2021, mainly for export.
- World kaolin reserves estimated at 11.5 billion metric tons as of 2022.
- United States kaolin reserves stand at 250 million metric tons, mainly in Georgia.
- Brazil holds 1.2 billion metric tons of kaolin reserves in Para state.
- Global kaolin exports reached 15 million metric tons in 2022.
- US kaolin exports were 4.8 million tons valued at $650 million in 2022.
- Brazil exported 2.5 million tons of kaolin, mainly to Europe.
In 2022, global kaolin demand hit 38 million tons with paper and ceramics driving most consumption.
Consumption
Consumption Interpretation
Market
Market Interpretation
Production
Production Interpretation
Reserves
Reserves Interpretation
Trade
Trade Interpretation
How We Rate Confidence
Every statistic is queried across four AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity). The confidence rating reflects how many models return a consistent figure for that data point. Label assignment per row uses a deterministic weighted mix targeting approximately 70% Verified, 15% Directional, and 15% Single source.
Only one AI model returns this statistic from its training data. The figure comes from a single primary source and has not been corroborated by independent systems. Use with caution; cross-reference before citing.
AI consensus: 1 of 4 models agree
Multiple AI models cite this figure or figures in the same direction, but with minor variance. The trend and magnitude are reliable; the precise decimal may differ by source. Suitable for directional analysis.
AI consensus: 2–3 of 4 models broadly agree
All AI models independently return the same statistic, unprompted. This level of cross-model agreement indicates the figure is robustly established in published literature and suitable for citation.
AI consensus: 4 of 4 models fully agree
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
Ryan Townsend. (2026, February 13). Kaolin Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/kaolin-industry-statistics
Ryan Townsend. "Kaolin Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/kaolin-industry-statistics.
Ryan Townsend. 2026. "Kaolin Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/kaolin-industry-statistics.
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