Clay is everywhere — and that is the point. What clay is, what it makes, and why its supply is among the safest on Earth.
Last updated: October 2026
Clay is hydrous aluminum silicate — weathered rock, dug from shallow pits on every continent. The United States is the largest producer at roughly 18%, but no country dominates, and no one has ever fought over clay. Its supply is among the safest of any mineral on Earth.
Clay production shares (all types combined), 2024 (USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2025). Kaolin, bentonite, ball clay and common clay.
Clay is a family of hydrous aluminum silicate minerals — kaolin, bentonite, ball clay and common clay — formed by the weathering of feldspar rock. Its defining trait is plasticity: wet clay can be shaped, then fired hard.
Ceramics and tiles, paper coating and filler (kaolin), drilling mud and cat litter (bentonite), refractories, cement, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and foundry molds.
The United States, with roughly 18% of world clay production (USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2025) — Georgia kaolin and Wyoming bentonite are the flagship deposits.
China accounts for roughly 15% of world clay production — significant, but far from dominant. Clay is mined locally almost everywhere, so no country can leverage it.
Very low. Clay is abundant on every continent, heavy and cheap so supply is local, and no country holds a meaningful share. Specialty clays (high-grade ball clay, pharmaceutical kaolin) can see local tightness, never systemic shortage.
Clay is weathered rock dug from shallow pits on every continent. The United States is the largest producer at roughly 18%, but no country dominates. Abundant, heavy and cheap, clay is the anti-chokepoint — its supply is among the safest of any mineral on Earth.
Clay is a family of hydrous aluminum silicate minerals — kaolin, bentonite, ball clay and common clay — formed by the weathering of feldspar rock. Its defining trait is plasticity: wet clay can be shaped, then fired hard.
Ceramics and tiles, paper coating and filler (kaolin), drilling mud and cat litter (bentonite), refractories, cement, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and foundry molds.
The United States, with roughly 18% of world clay production (USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2025) — Georgia kaolin and Wyoming bentonite are the flagship deposits.
