Non-metallic mineral enterprises serving the refractory materials industry need to comprehensively and substantially enhance their performance across all areas.


At present, the non‑metallic mineral enterprises that NaiCaiZhiChuang has identified—such as those producing bauxite, pyrophyllite, and graphite—are still at an early stage of primary processing, and there remains a long way to go before their downstream products reach a modern level of development. According to NaiCaiZhiChuang, leading international companies like Omya, Iberica, Sibelco, and BASF have long been global pioneers in the non‑metallic minerals sector; however, they prioritize holistic development and downstream‑demand orientation rather than focusing solely on their own product lines. Take Omya as an example: as a global leader in high‑end calcium carbonate products, it no longer centers on specific products but instead adopts a downstream‑demand‑driven approach, offering customized services across R&D, technical support, manufacturing, supply chain management, and distribution, thereby setting a benchmark for refined industry development. In the refractory materials sector, non‑metallic mining enterprises can, in resource development, design extraction processes and develop specialized, integrated equipment tailored to the geological characteristics of their deposits, covering stages such as mining, crushing, screening, and ore beneficiation. In mineral processing, emphasis should be placed on advanced technologies—including ultrafine grinding, classification, purification, modification, and composite processing—to create highly targeted, reliable, stable, and intelligently automated production processes and dedicated instrumentation. Furthermore, by leveraging their unique product attributes, these companies can forge innovative supply‑chain and after‑sales service models that ensure robust support for downstream applications.

At present, as far as the Refractory Materials Window is aware, enterprises in the non‑metallic mineral sector—such as those dealing with bauxite, pyrophyllite, and graphite—are still at the primary processing stage, and there remains a long way to go before their downstream products reach a modernized level of development.

According to NaiCaiZhiChuang, leading international companies such as Omya, Iberica, Silvex, and BASF have long been global pioneers in the non‑metallic minerals sector. However, they prioritize holistic development and downstream‑oriented solutions rather than focusing solely on their own product lines. Take Omya, for instance: as a global leader in high‑end calcium carbonate products, it has shifted its emphasis from specific products to a customer‑centric approach. By integrating R&D, technical services, production, supply chain management, and distribution, Omya offers tailored solutions that set a benchmark for refined industry development. In the refractory materials sector, non‑metallic mining enterprises can develop resource‑efficient extraction processes and specialized equipment packages—tailored to the unique characteristics of local mineral deposits—covering stages such as mining, crushing, screening, and beneficiation. In mineral processing, priority should be given to advanced technologies like ultrafine grinding, classification, purification, modification, and composite processing, with the aim of designing highly targeted, reliable, stable, and intelligently automated production workflows and dedicated instrumentation. Furthermore, by leveraging their product strengths, these companies can forge innovative supply‑chain and after‑sales service models that ensure seamless support across downstream applications.

 

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Steel production has declined, and refractory material output is likely to follow the same trend in the first quarter.

According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics, in March 2022, China’s crude steel output totaled 88.295 million tons, down 6.4% year on year; for the January–March period, cumulative crude steel production reached 243.376 million tons, a decline of 10.5% compared with the same period last year. Recently, the National Development and Reform Commission and other ministries also stated that, to ensure policy continuity and stability and to consolidate gains in reducing crude steel output, nationwide efforts to cut crude steel production will continue in 2022. These measures will help achieve a year-on-year reduction in national crude steel output for 2022, guiding steel enterprises to abandon the extensive growth model focused on volume and promoting high-quality development in the steel industry. Based on crude steel production data, we can infer that refractory material output is likely to follow a downward trend as well. The main reasons are: (1) In the first quarter, overlapping environmental‑control measures during winter and spring, targeted enforcement periods, and the Lunar New Year holiday slowed the production pace of both steel and refractory manufacturers; (2) Since late February, the ongoing nationwide COVID‑19 situation, rising logistics costs, and transportation disruptions have hindered raw‑material procurement and finished‑product delivery, leading to inventory buildup for some products; and (3) Weak demand and rising production costs have kept trading activity at a subdued pace. Taking alumina—the key raw material for refractories—as an example, many alumina producers have operated at reduced capacity or with limited enthusiasm, driven by a combination of factors including higher raw‑ore prices and soaring fuel costs.

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