Analysis of the Full Industry Chain Development of New Materials Based on Calcium Carbonate

Calcium carbonate serves as an essential non-metallic mineral raw material in daily industrial production, positioned at the forefront of the industry chain. It is often referred to as "industrial grain," closely related to the national economy and people's lives, and is a crucial supporting material for developing emerging industries and high-tech technologies. The main products of new materials based on calcium carbonate include modified plastic products, rubber products, wood-plastic composites, artificial stone, sealants, stone paper, ink, paints, and coatings.

1. Classification and Applications

Calcium carbonate is primarily divided into industrial calcium carbonate, food-grade calcium carbonate, and pharmaceutical calcium carbonate. Industrial calcium carbonate can be further categorized into heavy calcium carbonate (heavy calcite), active calcium carbonate (modified calcite), light calcium carbonate (light calcite), and nano-calcium carbonate (nano-calcite). It is widely used in various sectors such as papermaking, plastics, coatings, rubber, ink, chemical building materials, adhesives and sealants, feed, daily chemicals, food, and pharmaceuticals. It can also be used as a dietary supplement and antacid, making it the most widely applied and largest consumed inorganic non-metallic mineral powder.

Nano-calcium carbonate is a new type of light calcium carbonate product developed using nanotechnology since the 1980s, with particle sizes typically ranging from 20 to 100 nm. Due to the ultra-fine particle size of calcium carbonate, its crystal structure and surface electronic structure change, resulting in quantum size effects, small size effects, surface effects, and macroscopic quantum effects. These properties are not present in ordinary calcium carbonate. Nano-calcium carbonate has fine and uniform particles, a narrow distribution, large specific surface area, good surface activity, and dispersibility, and high surface energy. As a result, it exhibits many superior properties not found in ordinary calcium carbonate materials, making it suitable for a wider range of applications. For example, it can be extensively used in injection molding, extrusion, PVC profiles, pipes, automotive coatings, sealants, adhesives, coatings, ink, and rubber industries. The added value of calcium carbonate products is significantly increased, leading to widespread attention from countries around the world regarding nano-calcium carbonate technology.

Heavy calcium carbonate is the product of simple mechanical processing of calcite. It is an excellent filler and performance enhancer, serving as one of the most widely used inorganic salt fillers and a crucial filler in today's high-tech industries. Super-white heavy calcium carbonate (referred to as heavy calcite) has a whiteness of 95 and a calcium content of 98.5%. It is widely used as a filler, additive, reinforcing agent, modifier, and whitening agent in products such as plastics, rubber, coatings, construction materials, paper, textiles, sealants, printing, ink, leather, daily chemicals, food, feed, and pharmaceuticals, helping to save raw materials, increase volume, and reduce costs. Developed countries have a high demand for calcium carbonate, with a wide variety of products. In comparison, China is still lagging behind in this area, with intense competition in low-end products and significant potential for development in high-end products.

Heavy calcium carbonate particles are irregular in shape, with a wide range of particle sizes and rough surfaces. The particle size distribution is broad, with larger average particle sizes, typically ranging from 1 to 10 μm. Currently, the highest quality heavy calcium carbonate particles are produced by Germany and Japan, with average particle sizes around 1 μm. Few domestic manufacturers can effectively address the issues of particle agglomeration and modification of such fine particles during the production process. Surface-modified heavy calcium carbonate offers better performance due to its extensive raw material sources, high whiteness, low oil absorption, good applicability, and low cost, making it more widely applicable than light calcium carbonate, showing a clear trend of replacing light calcium carbonate.

Fujian Longyi Powder equipment Ltd. has achieved a breakthrough in producing heavy calcium carbonate particles with specifications: D90 = 0.4 μm, D50 = 0.1 μm. This is currently the "only" nano-scale particle material that can be mass-produced globally, using physical methods. These particles have a large specific surface area, high whiteness, and excellent dispersibility, overcoming particle agglomeration. The manufacturing level has reached industry leadership, filling a gap in the market.

Calcium carbonate whiskers are another new type of inorganic filler following nano-calcium carbonate. The industrial production of calcium carbonate whiskers was first realized in Japan in 1995. Currently, Japan, the United States, and the United Kingdom lead internationally in the research, manufacturing, and application of ultra-fine calcium carbonate. Although China began researching ultra-fine calcium carbonate in the 1980s, and the new industrial preparation technology for needle-shaped (whisker) nano-calcium carbonate developed by Hebei University of Science and Technology passed technical evaluation in 2005, laying a good foundation for the industrial production of calcium carbonate whiskers in China, there is still a significant gap compared to world-leading standards. There have been no reports of large-scale production domestically, and only some small enterprises are engaged in industrial production.

Currently, the main producers of calcium carbonate whiskers in the international market are Japanese companies, such as Maruto Calcium Carbonate Co., Ltd. However, according to public data, Maruto Company cannot produce whisker materials with such a high aspect ratio. Fujian Longyi Powder Equipment Co., Ltd. has developed a new type of high-aspect-ratio calcium carbonate whisker using proprietary technology, with an aspect ratio exceeding 50. This represents a significant breakthrough in calcium carbonate whisker technology, placing the company in a global leading and innovative position.

China has gradually developed several calcium carbonate industrial bases, such as Hezhou in Guangxi, Yongfeng in Jiangxi, Jiande in Zhejiang, Nanzhao in Henan, Lianzhou in Guangdong, Quzhou in Zhejiang, Chizhou in Anhui, Jingxing in Hebei, Linwu in Hunan, and Ya'an in Sichuan. However, due to limitations in resources, technology, capital, space, and cost control, most domestic calcium carbonate enterprises in China remain relatively small in scale compared to leading international companies like Omya, Imerys, and J.M. Huber. These domestic companies typically have outdated production technologies, low industrial levels, and lack innovation, resulting in weak competitiveness. Their main focus is on low-end filler-grade products, with insufficient development in high-end, specialized, and functional calcium carbonate products. As a result, China is not yet a leading country in the calcium carbonate industry.

With China's economy gradually transitioning towards high-quality, green development, the demand for high-end calcium carbonate products in industries such as plastics, rubber, coatings, and paper is expected to increase sharply. The calcium carbonate industry has significant growth potential. The industry is gradually shifting from low-end, primary processing products to high-end products such as nano-calcium carbonate, ultra-fine calcium carbonate, and medical and food-grade calcium carbonate. Functional and specialized calcium carbonate products will also be key areas for future development. Some companies are already focusing on research and development of functional, high-performance products and are gradually entering the high-end market. For example, Hetan Technology's nano-particle composite materials are used as fillers specifically for plastics, paper, and rubber modification and enhancement.

Development Strategy for the Calcium Carbonate Industry

For a long time, China's calcium carbonate industry has followed a factor-driven, extensive growth model, characterized by high resource and energy consumption and serious environmental pollution. This is far from meeting the requirements of a new industrialization model that emphasizes high technological content, good economic efficiency, low resource consumption, and minimal environmental impact. In the coming years, driven by external policy adjustments and internal competitive pressure, the development model of the calcium carbonate industry will gradually shift towards innovation-driven growth. The industry will rely on technological advancements, the use of advanced equipment and technology, and the support of industrial parks to move towards scale, intensive production, low energy consumption, and low emissions.

Through years of regulation, mergers, and restructuring, especially over the past five years, many small, disorganized, and polluting enterprises have been eliminated, significantly increasing the concentration of the industry. The future development strategy should focus on "reducing mining rights, extending the industrial chain, and increasing added value." Efforts should be made to introduce high-end calcium-based new material enterprises while leveraging local high-quality and potential enterprises. The goal is to fully exploit the advantages of premium mineral resources, promote the deep processing of calcium-based raw materials, and transition from low-end mining and rough processing to industries producing high-end calcium materials such as nano-calcium, active calcium, food-grade, and pharmaceutical-grade products.

By focusing on downstream industries like high-end coatings, sealants, modified plastic products, friction materials, food, and pharmaceuticals, efforts should be made to attract high-quality enterprises and establish a complete industrial chain for high-end calcium-based new materials. This will drive the industry towards green deep processing and end-use applications.

To achieve this, the entire calcium carbonate industrial chain should prioritize resource conservation, green mining, efficient use, and hierarchical utilization. In the production process and equipment, efforts should be made to achieve green, intelligent, and large-scale production. At the end of the chain, the focus should be on refinement, specialization, functionality, and product diversification. At the same time, increased government guidance and support, along with strengthened cooperation between enterprises and research institutions, will be crucial. With these efforts, the future of China's calcium carbonate industry looks promising.

Samuel?

Overseas Sales Manager

Fujian Longyi Powder Equipment Manufacturing Co., Ltd

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