Bentonite Clay
Formula : (Al, Fe₀.₆₇ Mg₀.₃₃) Si₄O₁₀(OH)₂ Na,Ca₀.₃₃
Description
Bentonite is the geographical name of the clay produced by the diversification of volcanic ash. It varies in colour. It can be grey, blue, yellow, red and brown. The pH varies from 4 to 10. Has appearance of a white powder.
The Bentonite or Hydrated Aluminium Silicate has ability to absorb water several times of its weight and give thick tropic effect.
The Sodium/ Calcium based Bentonite is a versatile mineral that caters to a wide range of industries from traditional usage areas such as metal casting, iron ore palletizing, civil engineering, drilling, pet litter etc.
RMCL Bentonite also finds speciality application areas such as paper, detergents and cosmetics.
Key Highlights
- Chemical & Thermal Stability – Performs under varied industrial conditions.
- Excellent Swelling & Absorption – Expands many times its volume in water.
- Superior Binding Properties – Ideal for foundry molds, pelletizing, and adhesives.
- Versatile Grades – Available in sodium and calcium types for diverse uses.
Core Applications
- Animal Feed Industry – Enhances pellet strength and acts as a toxin binder.
- Chemical Industry – Used in catalysts, bleaching earth, and absorbents.
- Construction – Applied in waterproofing, tunneling, and slurry walls.
- Drilling Muds – It is added to the drilling muds for adding viscosity and for preventing water loss.
- Iron Ore Pelletizing – Binds iron ore fines for steelmaking processes.
- Oil & Gas Industry – Used as drilling mud for lubrication, cooling, and sealing boreholes.
Extended Applications
- Agriculture – Improves soil conditioning and acts as a carrier for fertilizers/pesticides.
- Cosmetics & Pharmaceuticals – Used in creams, face packs, and detox products.
- Environmental Uses – Applied in landfill liners and waste containment systems.
- Foundry – Acts as a binder in molding sands to provide strength and shape retention.
- Food Industry – Used in the decolourization of animal and vegetable fats (like ground-nut, castor-oil and Vanaspati) and petroleum oil, lubricants, paraffin and other waxes.
- Nutraceutical Industry – Used as a desiccant in these industries to protect from moisture degradation and extend shelf life.
- Paper Industry – Improves brightness, smoothness, and printability.
- Sand Casting – Used for making moulds for Green sand.
- Use as Foundry Sands – Bentonite is utilized in foundry to bind the sand grains into desired shapes.
- Water Treatment – Removes impurities and heavy metals from wastewater.
- Wine – It is uniquely useful in the process of winemaking, where it is used to remove excessive amounts of protein from white wines.
