Composition and ceramic properties of ball clays for porcelain stoneware tiles manufacture in Poland

► Increase of illite and illite/smectite content improves ball clay sintering. ► Lower level of kaolinite and illite crystallinity improves ball clay sintering. ► Relation between ball clay mineral composition and its bending strength after drying. ► Ukrainian ball clays optimal for porcelain tile production in Poland. ► Polish, Saxonian and Czech clays used as supplementary components for porcelain tile.