September 10, 2024 – Yongfeng County, a pivotal hub for calcium carbonate production in Jiangxi Province, is currently undergoing a transformative shift in its industrial landscape. The county is actively steering its calcium carbonate sector away from traditional, extensive mining practices towards high-value, refined production models, targeting the mid-to-high-end markets.
Calcium carbonate, hailed as the “industrial staple,” holds a prominent position in Yongfeng’s industrial portfolio. With an annual output of 4.2 million tons, accounting for 10% of the national total, and consistently achieving billion-yuan revenues for six consecutive years, Yongfeng has gradually emerged as a cornerstone in the nation’s calcium carbonate industry.
The evolution of Yongfeng’s calcium carbonate sector reveals a transition from small-scale, workshop-based limestone extraction and processing, with limited product diversity, to a more sophisticated model. In response to the national drive for industrial restructuring, Yongfeng has mobilized the entire county to implement widespread reforms and innovations. This has led to the elimination of numerous outdated capacities while fostering a new generation of technologically advanced, high-value enterprises.
Today, Yongfeng boasts 115 non-metallic new material enterprises, forming a comprehensive industrial chain from mining to refined processing. Its calcium carbonate product line spans heavy calcium carbonate, light calcium carbonate, nano-calcium carbonate, and other high-end domains. Notably, enterprises such as Guangyuan Chemical lead the national heavy calcium carbonate industry.
In 2022, Yongfeng’s calcium carbonate industrial cluster reported impressive revenues of 13.607 billion yuan, with a profit margin of 1.319 billion yuan. The number of large-scale enterprises rose to 57, highlighting the increasing agglomeration effect. Significantly, Yongfeng claims three spots among the top ten heavy calcium carbonate enterprises nationwide, with Guangyuan Chemical earning the title of a national-level “Champion Demonstration Enterprise” in manufacturing, underscoring Yongfeng’s leading role and establishing the “Yongfeng Standard” in the industry.
To propel industrial development, the Yongfeng government has formulated and implemented a series of supportive policies. These policies prioritize assisting leading enterprises in developing high-value products, integrating resources, and enhancing resource utilization efficiency. According to Gui Yun, Director of the County’s Industrial and Information Technology Bureau, Yongfeng has successfully phased out inefficient small enterprises through innovation-driven strategies and institutional reforms, redirecting resources to competitive enterprises and cultivating numerous technologically advanced, market-competitive new material enterprises.
Enterprises like Guangyuan Chemical and Jiangxi Jiufeng Nano-Calcium actively collaborate with renowned domestic and foreign universities and research institutions, fostering deep integration of industry, academia, and research. For instance, Guangyuan Chemical’s partnerships with Shanghai Tongji University and Nanchang University have facilitated advanced research in calcium carbonate products. Its nano-calcium carbonate technology boasts high competitiveness in both domestic and international markets, supported by 30 national invention patents and 210 utility model patents, positioning it as a leader in China’s calcium carbonate industry.
After years of meticulous development, Yongfeng’s calcium carbonate industrial cluster has formed a complete upstream-to-downstream chain. From mine resource integration to deep processing and product sales & applications, enterprises across all links collaborate seamlessly. Products span traditional areas like cement, heavy calcium carbonate, and light calcium carbonate, extending to high-value products such as ultra-fine calcium, nano-calcium, and high-grade talc powder. These products find wide applications in industries including construction materials, coatings, plastics, and automotive coatings. Notably, the rise of nano-calcium carbonate products has significantly enhanced unit value.
Looking ahead, Yongfeng’s calcium carbonate industry will continue its trajectory towards environmental protection, efficiency, and refinement. With the nation’s ongoing support for green manufacturing and high-tech industries, Yongfeng will further invest in new production capacities, extending its industrial chain around the calcium carbonate sector. Deepening collaboration with universities and research institutes, it will guide enterprises to achieve product upgrades through technological innovation, enhancing Yongfeng calcium carbonate’s competitiveness in the international market. Over the next three years, Yongfeng aims to further penetrate the international market, striving to become a globally leading nano-calcium carbonate production base, realizing a remarkable transformation from a raw material supplier to a high-end product manufacturer.