Bentonite

Bentonite or Bentonite Clay is also known as Montmorillonite. It is the member of the Smectite clay family. The primary constituent in Bentonite Clay is hydrated Aluminum Silicate. It is impure clay absorbent. Bentonite is most commonly known for its use as a major component of drilling mud, particularly for oil wells, but is also widely used as an additive for viscosity and filtration control.
USES:
a) The greatest application of bentonite is in oil drilling. Bentonite thickens, swells, gels, bonds and lubricates in aqueous systems. Both natural & synthetic Bentonite is used in preparation of drilling mud. It is mainly used as circulation mud in rotary system of drilling for oil. The main purpose of Bentonite is to lubricate & cool the rotary cutting bits, carry away rock cutting fragments & to act as a seal against the escape of gas from the bore hole & to improve & prevent the hole from blowing out. Another function of such Bentonite based fluids is to condition the wall of the drill hole to prevent caving.


b) Bentonite possesses thixotropic properties and deposits a thin water proofing film on the walls of the bore holes & thus renders permeable formations impermeable.

c) Used in: Pharmaceuticals, beverage, food, cosmetics, and personal care products as Suspending agent, gellant and binder.

d) Used as a foundry sand, paints, fuller's earth, drilling mud, bleaching clay, filtering agents, water impedance, inks, additive to ceramic materials, and iron ore pelletizing. In paint industry it is used as a thickener in paints, primers and water based coatings. It is used in manufacture of greases.

COLOR:
Brownish Yellow, White, Grey White

DENSITY:
2.35

FRACTURE:
Earthy - Dull, Clay like fractures.

STREAK:
White

SYNONYM:
Montmorillonite, taylorite, fuller's earth, hectorite, tixoton, volclay, wilkinite.

HARDNESS:
1.5 - 2.0
CHEMICAL DESIGNATION:
Chemical Formula: Al2O34SiO2H2O

Chemical Name: Naturally occurring hydrated aluminum silicate