Refractory clay is mainly used in the metallurgical industry as a raw material for the production of shaped refractory materials (bricks of various specifications) and unshaped refractory materials, accounting for about 70% of all refractory materials. The hard clay in refractory clay is used to make refractory materials for blast furnaces, ironmaking furnaces, hot blast furnaces, lining bricks for steel drums, and plug bricks. High-alumina clay is used to make aluminum bricks, high-alumina lining bricks and high-alumina refractory mud for electric furnaces and blast furnaces. Hard clay and high alumina clay are often used in calcined clinker at high temperature (1400~1800°C).

Refractory clay is used in the building materials industry to make high-alumina bricks, phosphate high-alumina refractory bricks, and high-alumina fused cast bricks for cement kilns and glass melting kilns. High-alumina clay is calcined and then mixed with limestone to make aluminum-containing cement. This cement has the characteristics of quick-setting ability, corrosion resistance and heat resistance.

Refractory clay also has important uses in the grinding industry, chemical industry and ceramic industry. High alumina clay is melted in an electric arc furnace to produce abrasive materials, among which fused corundum abrasive is currently the most widely used abrasive, accounting for 2/3 of all abrasive products. High alumina clay can be used to produce various aluminum compounds, such as aluminum sulfate, aluminum hydroxide, aluminum chloride, potassium aluminum sulfate and other chemical products. In the ceramic industry, hard clay and semi-hard clay can be used as raw materials for the manufacture of daily-use ceramics, architectural porcelain and industrial porcelain.