NAICS 212323: Kaolin, Clay, and Ceramic and Refractory Minerals Mining
This U.S. industry comprises (1) establishments primarily engaged in developing the mine site and/or mining clay (e.g., china clay, paper clay and slip clay) or ceramic and refractory minerals and (2) establishments primarily engaged in beneficiating (i.e., preparing) clay or ceramic and refractory minerals. Illustrative Examples: Bentonite mining and/or beneficiating Fuller's earth mining and/or beneficiating Common clay mining and/or beneficiating Kaolin mining and/or beneficiating Feldspar mining and/or beneficiating Ball clay mining and/or beneficiating Fire clay mining and/or beneficiating Shale (except oil shale) mining and/or beneficiating Cross-References. Establishments primarily engaged in--Show more
NAICS 212323 – Kaolin, Clay, and Ceramic and Refractory Minerals Mining encompasses the extraction and initial processing of non-metallic minerals critical to advanced industrial and defense applications. This sector includes the mining of kaolin, ball clay, fire clay, stoneware clay, and other ceramic and refractory-grade minerals used in high-temperature ceramics, insulation materials, crucibles, furnace linings, and advanced ceramic components.
Industry Spending Overview
Federal obligations, top contractors and agencies, and related industry codes for NAICS 212323.
AI Industry Description
NAICS 212323 – Kaolin, Clay, and Ceramic and Refractory Minerals Mining encompasses the extraction and initial processing of non-metallic minerals critical to advanced industrial and defense applications. This sector includes the mining of kaolin, ball clay, fire clay, stoneware clay, and other cera...
NAICS 212323 – Kaolin, Clay, and Ceramic and Refractory Minerals Mining encompasses the extraction and initial processing of non-metallic minerals critical to advanced industrial and defense applications. This sector includes the mining of kaolin, ball clay, fire clay, stoneware clay, and other ceramic and refractory-grade minerals used in high-temperature ceramics, insulation materials, crucibles, furnace linings, and advanced ceramic components. These materials are essential in aerospace propulsion systems, nuclear reactor components, military-grade armor, and electronics manufacturing. While not a direct procurement category like IT or logistics, this NAICS underpins critical supply chains for defense, energy, and scientific infrastructure, serving as a foundational input for downstream manufacturers and government contractors producing high-performance materials. No contractor data is available for this NAICS code, indicating limited direct federal contracting activity. Companies operating in this space are typically specialized mining firms, industrial mineral processors, or vertically integrated manufacturers that supply raw or semi-processed materials rather than contracting directly with the government. Most engagement occurs indirectly through Tier 2 or Tier 3 supplier relationships with primes in aerospace, defense, and energy sectors. No agency data is available, suggesting that federal demand is not captured through direct procurement but is instead embedded in broader contracts for advanced materials, thermal protection systems, or nuclear components. Agencies such as the Department of Defense, Department of Energy, and NASA likely drive latent demand through programs requiring refractory ceramics, but spending is funneled through downstream contractors. The competitive landscape is concentrated among a small number of mineral processors with specialized mining permits and processing capabilities. Opportunities for contractors lie in securing long-term supply agreements with primes or qualifying as approved sources for critical mineral inputs. Market trends indicate growing interest in domestic supply chain resilience for strategic minerals, creating potential for small businesses with niche extraction or purification technologies to enter federal supply networks.
Small Business Size Standard
The SBA threshold that decides who can bid NAICS 212323 work as a small business.
The SBA cap for this NAICS (13 CFR 121.201). A business at or under it can self-certify as small for work in this code, which is what makes it eligible for a small-business set-aside. The cap is set per NAICS, so the same company can be small in one code and not in another.
13 CFR 121.201, effective January 1, 2026. The SBA revises the table roughly once a year.
Competition
How many companies historically bid on federal awards in NAICS 212323, from bidder counts reported on USAspending.
How this code compares up the NAICS hierarchy. Parent cohorts pool every code under their prefix, so they are the steadier baseline when a 6-digit sample is thin.
| Industry Family | Competition | Median Bidders | Single-Bid | Bidder Mix | Reported Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
212323This Code Kaolin, Clay, and Ceramic and Refractory Minerals Mining | Not enough reported data | — | — | — | 4100% of 4 |
21232NAICS Industry | Moderate Competition | 3 | 29% | 9,60391% of 10,551 | |
2123Industry Group Nonmetallic Mineral Mining and Quarrying | Moderate Competition | 3 | 32% | 20,25790% of 22,506 | |
212Subsector | Moderate Competition | 3 | 32% | 21,37290% of 23,743 | |
21Sector Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | Fewer Bidders | 2 | 36% | 35,86687% of 41,386 |
Bidder counts reported on past federal awards in this NAICS (USAspending). An open opportunity has no bidders yet, so this is the historical norm for similar work, not a fact about this solicitation. Not all awards report bidder counts, and fewer bidders often means incumbent-held work rather than an easier win. Federal reporting of bidder counts fell from ~96% of awards (FY2016) to ~30% (FY2018 onward); the chart shows shares of reported awards, and washed-out stretches mark years with fewer than 30 of them.
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