Occurence

Occurrence of raw materials

According to the current state of the art, China has the largest raw material deposits for basic materials for porcelain production. The mineral resources are under state administration and are the property of the people. If you calculate in Germany for one ton of porcelain raw materials about 200, - Euro (excluding granules), you can estimate less than 10% of these costs in China (2009). Only since 2007 the export of natural resources from the People's Republic has been subject to a tax similar to customs duties in order to curb overexploitation. This regulation was imposed primarily on pure marble and granite, which since the end of the 1990s has been exported all over the world as floor coverings in unimaginable quantities of around 100 tons per day. Chinese kaolin and other types of "claim" (earthen base materials) are now used worldwide in porcelain production - even in Germany! 

One of the largest deposits of kaolin can be found in the USA, Brazil, Germany, France, England, Czech Republic, Japan, India and the Philippines. The global supply of kaolin is calculated at 14.2 billion tons, although this figure theoretically extends to the year 2300.

In Germany, the main mining area is located in the Upper Palatinate, as well as in the Central Saxon hill country near Seilitz and Kemmlitz. The Amberger Kaolinwerke are one of the most important producers of these minerals in Europe and serve mainly porcelain manufacturers such as Seltmann Weiden and Bauscher. More than two million tons of raw earth are mined here every year, with 400 tons of kaolin alone in addition to the important quartz.

Close behind Germany comes our neighboring country Austria. The mining company Kamig (Österreichische Kaolin- und Montanindustrie Aktiengesellschaft) also provides significant mining for the porcelain industry. In 2004, 16,345 tons of pure kaolin alone were mined in Upper Austrian Tragwein and Lower Austrian mining sites.