Clay
Fuller's earth is the trade name for a group of highly adsorbent clays, principally attapulgite and palygorskite together with calcium montmorillonite, whose fine fibrous or platy structure gives them a very large internal surface area. The name comes from fulling, the old process of cleaning wool by drawing grease out of it with clay. The same behaviour drives every modern use: bleaching and clarifying edible oils, mineral oils and waxes, absorbing spills on industrial floors, forming cat litter, carrying pesticides and feed additives, thickening paints and drilling fluids that must tolerate salt, and serving as a mild cleansing and masking base in cosmetics.
Listed clay markets
Each line is a grade at a delivery point. Open one for its full specification and terms.
Grades
A fuller's earth contract turns on which clay mineral the deposit actually is, on how much oil or colour the clay will take up, and on the grind or granule the buyer runs. Adsorbent performance is the product, and it is measured, not described.
Chemical assay
9 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Clay mineral baseDeclared, as attapulgite, palygorskite, sepiolite, calcium montmorillonite or a named blend | Confirmed by X-ray diffraction. It is the first term on the contract because the mineral, not the trade name, sets the behaviour. |
| Activation stateDeclared, as natural, thermally activated or acid activated | Natural clay is dried and milled only. Acid activated clay is leached to open the structure and raise the bleaching power, and it carries residual acidity. |
| Methylene blue valueGrams per hundred grams | Determined by titration. The working measure of active surface, and the fastest check at the plant gate. |
| Specific surface areaSquare metres per gram | Determined by nitrogen adsorption. It is the physical basis of everything the clay does. |
| Silica, alumina and magnesiaPercentage by mass | Determined by X-ray fluorescence on a fused bead under ISO 12677. The magnesia figure separates the sepiolite and palygorskite clays from the montmorillonitic ones. |
| Iron as ferric oxidePercentage by mass | Governs the colour of the clay and the iron pickup in a treated oil. |
| Free acidityMilligrams of potassium hydroxide per gram | Reported on acid activated grades. Residual acid carries into the treated oil and into the spent cake. |
| pH of the aqueous suspensionpH units | Measured under ISO 787 at the stated solids loading. |
| Loss on ignitionPercentage by mass | Determined at the stated temperature, capturing bound water, carbonate and organic matter. |
Physical properties
9 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Oil adsorption capacityGrams of oil per hundred grams | Determined under ISO 787. It is the headline performance number for an absorbent grade. |
| Liquid absorptionPercentage by mass, water and oil reported separately | For floor absorbent and litter grades, measured on a fixed bed over a fixed period. |
| Bleaching efficiencyReported as the residual colour of a standard oil after treatment at the stated dosage and temperature | Run on the buyer own oil wherever possible. Bleaching performance is feedstock specific and no single number transfers between oils. |
| Filtration rateReported against the named laboratory method | How fast the treated oil releases from the clay cake. It sets the throughput of the refinery filter press. |
| Residual oil retentionPercentage by mass on the spent cake | A direct yield loss for the refiner and a commercial term on a bleaching earth contract. |
| Bulk density, loose and tappedKilograms per cubic metre | Sets the bag, the silo and the freight cube, and for litter it sets the pack weight. |
| Attrition and dustPercentage by mass of fines generated, against the named method | For granular grades. Dusty litter and floor absorbent is rejected on arrival. |
| MoisturePercentage by mass, maximum | Determined by oven drying. Activated clay is hygroscopic and moisture control governs both weight and shelf life. |
| Hardness and pellet integrityReported against the named method | For extruded and granulated grades, whether the granule survives filling, transport and use. |
Particle size and sizing
4 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Sieve gradingPercentage by mass retained at each stated aperture | Determined on test sieves conforming to ISO 3310. The granule band is the grade for litter, floor absorbent and carrier products. |
| Milled finenessPercentage by mass passing the stated aperture | For powder grades used in oil bleaching and paint. |
| Particle size distributionMicrometres, by percentile | Determined by laser diffraction under ISO 13320 for the fine milled grades. |
| FormDeclared | Powder, milled granular, extruded pellet or crushed and screened granule. Contracted, not inferred. |
Contaminants and regulated substances
6 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Crystalline silicaPercentage by mass | Quartz and cristobalite content, declared on the safety data sheet and controlled where the clay contacts food or is used indoors. |
| Asbestiform fibresPass or fail, against the named method | Fibrous clay deposits are screened because the regulator treats certain fibre morphologies as a hazard. |
| Heavy metalsMilligrams per kilogram, maximum, by element | Arsenic, lead, cadmium, mercury and nickel, determined on a digest against the food, feed or cosmetic limit at the destination. |
| Dioxins and dioxin like compoundsPicograms of toxic equivalent per kilogram, maximum | Required where the clay is used in edible oil refining or in feed, because the regulation sets a limit on the processing aid itself. |
| Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbonsMicrograms per kilogram, maximum | Tested on bleaching earth destined for edible oil, where the clay must not contribute contamination to the finished oil. |
| Microbiological limitsColony forming units per gram, maximum | For cosmetic and pharmaceutical grades, against the monograph or destination specification. |
Delivery, documentation and certification
9 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Form and packingDeclared | Bulk, big bags of a stated net weight, paper or polywoven bags palletised and shrink wrapped, or containerised bulk in liners. The pack is a price term because it drives the handling cost at both ends. |
| Moisture at loadingPercentage by mass, maximum | Determined by oven drying on a loading sample. Moisture is paid for as mineral unless the contract sets a dry weight basis, so it is always specified. |
| Weight basisDeclared | Wet or dry metric tonnes, on shipped weight or landed weight, with the survey house named and the draft survey or weighbridge method stated. |
| Sampling and assay protocolDeclared | Who samples, at which point, to what standard, how the sample is split and sealed, and which laboratory umpires a dispute. It is agreed before loading, not after. |
| Transportable moisture limitPercentage by mass | Where the cargo is a group A material under the maritime bulk cargoes code, the flow moisture point and the transportable moisture limit are certified before loading. |
| Safety data sheetDocument, to the globally harmonised system format | Classification, handling and respirable crystalline silica statement, supplied with every consignment. |
| Certificate of analysisDocument, per lot | Issued by the named laboratory against the contract specification, referencing the lot and the sampling record. |
| Regulatory registrationDeclared | Chemical registration at the destination where the mineral requires one, named on the contract. |
| Origin and due diligenceDeclared, with the mine or plant named | Country of origin, the mine or processing plant, and where required the responsible sourcing statement. |
Grades outside this list trade on request. Send us the contract specification you work to and we will price against it.
Locations
| Country | Region | We trade it as |
|---|---|---|
| India | South Asia | Origin and destination |
| United States | North America | Origin and destination |
| Spain | Southern Europe | Origin and destination |
| Turkiye | Europe and Anatolia | Origin and destination |
| China | East Asia | Origin and destination |
| Mexico | North America | Origin and destination |
| Senegal | West Africa | Origin and destination |
| Morocco | North Africa | Origin and destination |
| Egypt | North Africa | Origin and destination |
| South Africa | Southern Africa | Origin and destination |
| Kenya | East Africa | Origin and destination |
| Tanzania, United Republic of | East Africa | Origin and destination |
| Mozambique | Southern Africa | Origin and destination |
| Greece | Southern Europe | Origin and destination |
| Italy | Southern Europe | Origin and destination |
| Germany | Western Europe | Destination |
| United Kingdom | Northern Europe | Origin and destination |
| France | Western Europe | Origin and destination |
| Netherlands | Northwest Europe | Destination and trading hub |
| Belgium | Northwest Europe | Destination |
| Poland | Central Europe | Origin and destination |
| Czechia | Central Europe | Origin and destination |
| Bulgaria | Southeast Europe | Origin and destination |
| Romania | Southeast Europe | Origin and destination |
| Ukraine | Eastern Europe | Origin and destination |
| Russian Federation | Eurasia | Origin and destination |
| Kazakhstan | Central Asia | Origin and destination |
| Iran | Middle East | Origin and destination |
| Saudi Arabia | Middle East | Origin and destination |
| United Arab Emirates | Middle East | Destination and trading hub |
| Japan | East Asia | Destination |
| Korea, Republic of | East Asia | Destination |
| Thailand | Southeast Asia | Origin and destination |
| Viet Nam | Southeast Asia | Origin and destination |
| Indonesia | Southeast Asia | Origin and destination |
| Malaysia | Southeast Asia | Origin and destination |
| Pakistan | South Asia | Origin and destination |
| Sri Lanka | South Asia | Origin and destination |
| Brazil | South America | Origin and destination |
| Argentina | South America | Origin and destination |
| Colombia | South America | Origin and destination |
| Peru | South America | Origin and destination |
| Chile | South America | Origin and destination |
| Canada | North America | Origin and destination |
| Australia | Oceania | Origin and destination |
| New Zealand | Oceania | Origin and destination |
| Singapore | Southeast Asia | Trading and finance |
| Switzerland | Western Europe | Trading and finance |
| Israel | Middle East | Origin and destination |
| Nigeria | West Africa | Origin and destination |
| Algeria | North Africa | Origin and destination |
| Tunisia | North Africa | Origin and destination |
| Portugal | Southern Europe | Origin and destination |
Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown here.
Timing
Production is when the mineral is mined and processed at origin, which follows the mine plan and the weather at the pit rather than a crop season. Arrival is when a shipment from that origin typically lands in a consuming market. The gap between them is drying, grading, bagging and the voyage.
HarvestArrival
| Origin | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | Window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| India | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Oct to May, arrival Nov to JunRajasthan and Gujarat produce natural and acid activated fullers earth for the domestic edible oil industry and for export. Mining slows through the monsoon. | |||
| United States | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecGeorgia, Florida and Illinois produce attapulgite and montmorillonitic clay for absorbent, litter and carrier markets. |
| Spain | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecSepiolite and attapulgite production supplying the European absorbent, litter and carrier trade. |
| Turkiye | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecA significant producer and activator, with bleaching earth plants serving the regional edible oil refineries. |
| China | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecLarge attapulgite production in Jiangsu and Anhui, supplying domestic demand and an export programme in activated grades. |
| Mexico | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecProduction supplying the North American absorbent and carrier markets. |
| Senegal | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Nov to May, arrival Dec to JunAttapulgite production shipping to Europe. The programme is weighted to the dry season. | ||||
| Morocco | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecGhassoul and related clays supplying the cosmetic and absorbent trade through the Atlantic ports. |
Windows outside this pattern trade on request, including carry, forward positions and tonnage already sitting in a destination warehouse or terminal.
Customs, packing and contract terms
Indicative terms for clay. Tariff classification is the importer’s responsibility and limits change, so confirm both against the destination customs authority and the current regulation before you fix a contract.
- HS heading2508.40 Other clays, including fuller's earth
2508.10 Bentonitic fuller's earth - PackingBulk in a lined container, 1 t big bags, or 25 kg to 50 kg paper or PP bags on pallets. Moisture and particle size distribution stated on the certificate of analysis at load.
- Container loading20ft: 26 t to 28 t bulk or big bag. Weight limited well before volume. Check the road weight limit at the destination before fixing the box size.
- Contract and arbitrationSale on typical analysis with a certificate of analysis at load port and an umpire clause. ASTM and API specifications where they exist, including API 13A for drilling grade barite and bentonite. Arbitration under ICC rules or at the contract seat.
- Destination limitsEU REACH registration above one tonne per importer per year, respirable crystalline silica exposure controls under Directive 2017/2398, asbestos screening for talc and vermiculite, NORM screening on heavy mineral products, and food, pharmacopoeia or cosmetic grade certification where the end use requires it.
Common questions
What grades of clay does SIP Global trade?
We quote 37 published grades of clay, including Clay mineral base - Declared, as attapulgite, palygorskite, sepiolite, calcium montmorillonite or a named blend, Activation state - Declared, as natural, thermally activated or acid activated, Methylene blue value - Grams per hundred grams, Specific surface area - Square metres per gram, Silica, alumina and magnesia - Percentage by mass and Iron as ferric oxide - Percentage by mass. Every grade is tied to a delivery point and a settlement route. Grades outside the published list are priced on request.
How is clay graded?
A fuller's earth contract turns on which clay mineral the deposit actually is, on how much oil or colour the clay will take up, and on the grind or granule the buyer runs. Adsorbent performance is the product, and it is measured, not described. Grading runs on 5 systems: Chemical assay, Physical properties, Particle size and sizing, Contaminants and regulated substances and Delivery, documentation and certification.
Where does SIP Global trade clay?
We trade clay in India, United States, Spain, Turkiye, China, Mexico, Senegal and Morocco and 45 further markets. Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown.
When is clay harvested and when does it arrive?
Typical windows are India: harvest oct to may, arrival nov to jun; United States: harvest jan to dec, arrival jan to dec; Spain: harvest jan to dec, arrival jan to dec; Turkiye: harvest jan to dec, arrival jan to dec; China: harvest jan to dec, arrival jan to dec. Harvest is when the lot is taken at origin, arrival is when a shipment from that origin lands in a consuming market. Windows outside this pattern, including carry, trade on request.
What is the HS code for clay?
Clay is normally classified under HS 2508.40 (other clays, including fuller's earth) and HS 2508.10 (bentonitic fuller's earth). The heading follows the form the goods are in at the border, and national tariffs extend it beyond six digits, so confirm the full line with the destination customs authority before you fix a contract.
How do I get a price for clay?
Send the grade, the origin and the delivery window to the SIP Global desk. That is enough for a trader to come back with a level and a settlement route. 1 listed clay market is published on this page, each with its full specification and terms. We take both sides, physical and financial, prompt to long dated.
Standards and data sources
The grading language on this sheet follows published standards. Trade volumes and tariff lines are public record. Verify anything here against the source.
- ISOInternational Organization for Standardization
- UN ComtradeOfficial international trade statistics by HS code
- ITC Trade MapBilateral trade flows and tariff data
- FAOSTATFAO production and trade series for agricultural commodities
Price this with our desk
Grade, origin and window if you have them. If what you are carrying does not fit the sheet above, describe it in your own words and a trader will take it from there.