Kaolinite (/ˈkeɪɵlɨˌnaɪt/) is a clay mineral, part of the group of industrial minerals, with the chemical composition Al2Si2O5(OH)4. It is a layered silicate mineral, with one tetrahedral sheet linked through oxygen atoms to one octahedral sheet of alumina octahedra. Rocks that are rich in kaolinite are known as kaolin or china clay.The name is derived from Chinese Kao-Ling (高岭/高嶺, pinyin Gāolǐng, 'High Ridge'), a village near Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province, China.