September 13, 2024 – Yongfeng County, Jiangxi Province, a pivotal hub for calcium carbonate production in China, has recently steered its calcium carbonate industry towards a high-value, refined production model, marking a significant shift from traditional extensive mining practices. This transformation, fueled by innovative strategies and policy support, has enabled Yongfeng to steadily penetrate the mid-to-high-end market. Calcium carbonate, hailed as the “industrial staple,” holds a prominent position within Yongfeng’s industrial structure. With an annual output reaching 4.2 million tons, accounting for 10% of the nation’s total production, and consistently surpassing the hundred-billion mark in output value for six consecutive years, Yongfeng has firmly established itself as a core player in China’s calcium carbonate industry.
The evolution of Yongfeng’s calcium carbonate industry has been remarkable, transitioning from small-scale, crude production workshops to a comprehensive industrial chain encompassing 115 non-metallic new material enterprises. This transformation was driven by national and local government initiatives that facilitated the elimination of outdated production capacities and fostered the emergence of high-tech, high-value industry leaders, such as Guangyuan Chemical, which now holds a leading position in the national heavy calcium carbonate sector. In 2022, Yongfeng’s calcium carbonate industrial cluster achieved a revenue of 13.607 billion yuan and a profit of 1.319 billion yuan, highlighting a substantial improvement in industrial agglomeration effects.
To promote the high-quality development of the calcium carbonate industry, Yongfeng County Government has introduced a series of policy measures, focusing on supporting leading enterprises, integrating raw mineral resources, and enhancing resource utilization efficiency. Gui Yun, Director of the County Bureau of Industry and Information Technology, emphasized that through innovation-driven development and institutional reforms, Yongfeng has successfully phased out inefficient powder processing small enterprises, prioritizing resource allocation to competitive enterprises. This approach has cultivated a group of advanced technology and market-competitive new material enterprises. Guangyuan Chemical and Jiangxi Jiufeng Nano Calcium actively collaborate with renowned universities and research institutions both domestically and internationally, promoting the integrated development of industry, academia, and research. Through technological innovation, they have achieved product upgrades, thereby enhancing the added value and market competitiveness of Yongfeng’s calcium carbonate products.
Over the years, Yongfeng’s calcium carbonate industrial cluster has formed a closely interconnected upstream-downstream industrial chain. Upstream mine resources have been effectively integrated, midstream enterprises specialize in deep processing of calcium carbonate, and downstream enterprises are responsible for product sales and applications. The industrial chain not only covers traditional products but also extends to high-value products such as ultrafine calcium and nano calcium, which are widely used in various industries including building materials, coatings, and plastics. In particular, the application of nano-scale calcium carbonate products has significantly increased the unit value of calcium carbonate, with some product prices reaching as high as tens of thousands of yuan per ton. Additionally, Yongfeng actively introduces advanced manufacturing enterprises and high-tech projects, fostering a favorable situation where the calcium carbonate industry co-develops with emerging industries such as biomedicine and electronic information.
Looking ahead, Yongfeng’s calcium carbonate industry will continue to adhere to a green, efficient, and refined development direction. The local government will intensify efforts to cultivate new productive forces, extend the industrial chain around the upstream and downstream of the calcium carbonate industry, and prioritize the development of high-value products such as food-grade calcium carbonate, modified light calcium, and nano calcium. Yongfeng will also continue to promote deep cooperation between enterprises and universities, research institutes, and guide enterprises to achieve product upgrades through technological innovation, enhancing the competitiveness of Yongfeng calcium carbonate in the international market. Over the next three years, Yongfeng’s calcium carbonate industry aims to further expand its international market presence, establish a globally leading nano-calcium carbonate production base, and gradually transition from a raw material supplier to a high-end product manufacturer, becoming a benchmark in the domestic and international calcium carbonate industry.