Ball Clays, Fuller's Earth & Other Clays (Excluding Expanded), Whether or Not Calcined

Ball clays and related specialty clays serve distinct industrial roles: ball clays (2508400110) are prized for their plasticity and strength in ceramics and sanitaryware, while decolorizing earths and fuller's earth (2508400120) are used in edible-oil refining, lubricant processing, and environmental remediation. A residual catch-all line (2508400150) captures other non-expanded clays not elsewhere classified. Spain and Canada are the primary foreign sources for US imports under this heading, with Germany and Morocco also contributing meaningfully.