Active Minerals International

What Active Minerals International does

Active Minerals International, LLC (AMI) is an industrial mineral mining and processing company founded in 1964 and headquartered in Sparks, Maryland. The company specializes in two core mineral platforms: kaolin (hydrous aluminum silicate) and attapulgite (hydrous magnesium aluminosilicate). AMI operates mining and processing facilities in Quincy, Florida and Climax, Georgia, with an R&D Innovation Center in Houston, Texas opened in January 2022, and a representative office in Shanghai serving Asian markets. The company claims to be the world's largest producer of gellant attapulgite and air-float kaolin mineral products, and the largest supplier of air-float kaolin to the glass manufacturing process.

AMI's product portfolio spans the Acti-Gel 208 and Acti-Plex lines of high-purity magnesium aluminosilicate for concrete and pool plaster admixtures, the Min-U-Gel and Florigel attapulgite product lines for rheology modification and drilling mud applications, and the Acti-Min kaolin series covering reinforcing fillers, extender pigments, specialty grades for fiberglass and white cement, and EPA-approved/OMRI-listed agricultural crop protectants. Proprietary technology includes the patented Acti-Gel 208 process (producing attapulgite claimed to be 10% purer than competing grades) and patent-pending thermally-activated attapulgite for renewable fuel feedstock pre-treatment.

The company generates revenue through direct sale of mineral products to industrial customers across 11+ end markets including adhesives and sealants, agriculture, ceramics, concrete, construction, drilling, fiberglass, mining, paints and coatings, rubber, and catalysts. AMI combines a direct sales force for enterprise accounts with a distributor network — including Lintech International for U.S. kaolin distribution and Superior Materials for attapulgite products — and ships to 70+ international destinations, earning Top 100 U.S. Exporter recognition for 11 consecutive years from 2011 to 2021. Pricing is quote-based with periodic increases of 3-8% across product lines. The company has been a portfolio company of Golden Gate Capital since November 2018, and in May 2024 J.M. Huber Corporation signed an agreement to acquire AMI from Golden Gate Capital.

Name

Active Minerals International

Legal name

Active Minerals International, LLC

Website

https://activeminerals.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1964

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Active Minerals International is an industrial mineral miner and processor producing kaolin and attapulgite clay products for adhesives, agriculture, concrete, construction, drilling, fiberglass, paints, rubber, and ceramics markets across 70+ countries from its Sparks, Maryland headquarters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Minerals

NAICS

Ground or Treated Mineral and Earth Manufacturing (327992), Sand, Gravel, Clay, and Ceramic and Refractory Minerals Mining and Quarrying (21232), Kaolin, Clay, and Ceramic and Refractory Minerals Mining (212323)

SIC

Abrasive, Asbestos & Misc Nonmetallic Mineral Prods (3290), Mining & Quarrying Of Nonmetallic Minerals (No Fuels) (1400)

akta.pro primary industry

Kaolin & Ball Clay (IMAEAFAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Kaolin & Industrial Clay Mining (Bentonite, Ball Clay, Fuller’s Earth) (IMAKAGAJ), Bentonite & Other Smectite Clays (IMAEAFAE)

Keywords

• Industrial mineral supplier
• Kaolin clay products
• Attapulgite clay products
• Rheology modifiers
• Crop protectant kaolin

Headquarters

HQ city

Baltimore

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Kaolin Products: Sale of air-float kaolin products including reinforcing fillers (Acti-Min RG, Champion, Crown Clay, SECCO Clay), extender pigments (Acti-Min RP-2, RP-80, SA-1, WC-5), and specialty grades for fiberglass, cement, ceramics, and rubber applications.
2. Attapulgite Products: Sale of gellant attapulgite products including Min-U-Gel, Florigel HY, Acti-Gel 208, and Acti-Plex. Used as rheology modifiers, suspension agents, and syneresis controls in paints, coatings, drilling mud, adhesives, sealants, and agricultural applications.
3. Agricultural Products: Sale of kaolin-based crop protectant products including Acti-Min FE (EPA approved pesticide), Acti-Min Sunblock (OMRI listed sunburn protectant), and inert ingredients for pesticide and herbicide formulations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Active Minerals International mines, processes, and distributes kaolin (hydrous aluminum silicate) and attapulgite (hydrous magnesium aluminosilicate) clay products for industrial buyers. Its portfolio spans air-float kaolin fillers and extender pigments, gellant attapulgite rheology modifiers, EPA-registered and OMRI-listed kaolin crop protectants, and engineered casting systems, sold under the Acti-Gel, Min-U-Gel, Acti-Plex, Acti-Min, Florigel, and Acti-Cast brands.

Product overview

Active Minerals International (AMI) is an industrial mineral supplier specializing in kaolin (air-float kaolin) and attapulgite (gellant attapulgite) clay products. The company's product portfolio centers on Acti-Gel® 208 and Acti-Plex® as the core concrete admixture offerings, complemented by the Min-U-Gel® attapulgite product line for rheology modification. Kaolin products include functional fillers (Acti-Min® PG, RG), specialty grades for fiberglass (FG-5) and white cement (CR), and crop protectants (Acti-Min® FE, Sunblock). The company serves markets including adhesives, agriculture, ceramics, concrete, construction, drilling, fiberglass, mining, paints & coatings, and rubber.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Acti-Gel: Purified magnesium aluminosilicate product used as high performance mix stabilizer and rheology modifier in cement-based applications
• ACTI-PLEX
• Min-U-Gel
• Acti-Min
• Acti-Cast ECS
• Florigel
• Add 10 Gallons

Products and services

• Acti-Gel 208 Highly purified magnesium aluminosilicate produced via a patented process, providing high-performance thixotropic rheology modification and anti-settling properties for water-based industrial applications including concrete, mining, paint, coatings, and ceramics.
• Acti-Plex Highly purified magnesium aluminosilicate specifically designed for use in pool plasters, providing thixotropic properties and anti-settling performance.
• Attapulgite (hydrous magnesium aluminosilicate) Hydrous magnesium aluminosilicate used as a thixotropic rheology modifier, anti-settling agent, syneresis control, and binder in paint, coatings, drilling mud, adhesives, sealants, and agricultural applications.
• Kaolin (hydrous aluminum silicate) Inert hydrous aluminum silicate mineral used as functional filler, reinforcing agent, and extender in rubber, adhesives, sealants, construction, agriculture, fiberglass, and ceramics applications.
• Min-U-Gel Attapulgite-based rheology modifiers, suspension agents, and syneresis controls used in paint, coatings, joint compounds, agricultural suspensions, catalysts, and molecular sieves; products are 10% purer than competing gelling clays.
• Florigel HY Rheology modifier for oil well drilling mud and geotechnical applications, providing excellent stability in salt or high ionic environments; meets API Specification 13A.
• Acti-Cast ECS Complete plastic slip component (Engineered Casting System) for simplified, predictable, and faster sanitaryware casting, replacing ball clay and all other plastic components in slip formulations.
• Acti-Min FG-5 Controlled-chemistry kaolin product designed for electronic grade fiberglass production with consistent high alumina content and low iron and oxide levels.
• Acti-Min CR High-alumina, low-iron kaolin grade designed for white cement production and refractory brick applications.
• Acti-Min PG Air-float kaolin reinforcing filler providing greater TiO2 replacement and higher gloss and sheen control than water-washed kaolins, used in white rubber compounds, sealants, caulks, and paint coatings.
• Acti-Min FE EPA-registered and OMRI-listed kaolin-based pesticide that forms a particle film barrier on crops to control insects, mites, and disease pests while reducing sunburn and heat stress.
• Acti-Min Sunblock

Quantifiable outcome

• Min-U-Gel attapulgite products are 10% purer than competing gelling clays
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered major and minor.

• Superior Materials, Inc.majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 2 August 2023Distributor agreement for premier attapulgite clays. Superior Materials distributes AMI's attapulgite products to customers in their designated territory.
• Lintech International LLCmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 6 August 2020Non-exclusive national distribution partnership for kaolin products in the United States, signed August 2020. Lintech serves as a key distribution channel for AMI's kaolin product line serving adhesives, construction, paints, coatings, and rubber industries.
• Chesapeake Safety CouncilminorOthersMembership and participation since 2010 with the council to advance the highest safety standards for AMI and all business.
• National Safety CouncilminorOthersNational Safety Council membership working in close association with local chapters to promote workplace safety.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Peers

• Quarzwerke GmbH:

Direct peers

• Imerys: Global leader in mineral-based specialty solutions producing kaolin, attapulgite-related clays, and functional fillers for paints, plastics, rubber, and ceramics. Closest large-scale competitor to AMI across air-float kaolin, ball clay, and processed industrial mineral products.
• KaMin LLC: US-focused kaolin miner and processor serving paper, paint, adhesives, and rubber markets with hydrous and calcined kaolin grades. Directly competes with AMI's air-float kaolin offerings and specialty functional fillers.
• Sibelco: Global industrial minerals group producing silica, kaolin, ball clay, and specialty clays for ceramics, paints, and construction. Overlaps AMI in kaolin/functional fillers and competes for mineral supply in coatings and fiberglass.
• Thiele Kaolin Company: Long-established US kaolin miner producing a wide range of kaolin grades for paper, rubber, adhesives, and fiberglass. Directly competes with AMI on air-float and specialty kaolin grades into similar industrial end-markets.
• Bentonite Performance Minerals LLC: US producer of bentonite and specialty clay products serving drilling mud, foundry, Iron Ore Pelletizing, and absorbents. Most direct US-based competitor to AMI in the smectite/palygorskite family of drilling-fluid and rheology clays.
• Wyo-Ben Inc. US bentonite and specialty clay producer serving drilling, environmental, construction, and industrial end markets. Comparable mid-sized competitor to AMI in clays for drilling fluids, civil engineering, and specialty rheology applications.

Broad incumbents

• J.M. Huber Corporation: Pending acquirer of AMI and a diversified industrial minerals/chemicals manufacturer. Broader specialty minerals portfolio (engineered materials, performance chemicals, precipitated silica) makes Huber a parent-level incumbent that combines AMI's kaolin/attapulgite with adjacent mineral platforms.
• Minerals Technologies Inc. Public specialty minerals company producing precipitated calcium carbonate, talc, and bentonite-based products across paper, construction, and consumer applications. Overlaps AMI in functional mineral additives and construction/industrial fillers.
• BASF SE: Global chemical major supplying functional additives, rheology modifiers, and pigment extenders including kaolin-derived products. Overlaps AMI on functional fillers and TiO2-extender economics in paints, coatings, and rubber.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeshare.transistor.fm/s/58bd6f5c
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/active-minerals-international
• Xx.com/activeminerals
• Facebookfacebook.com/activeminerals

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Active Minerals International