|
|
|
Bentonite, Attapulgite and Sepiolite
Bentonite is an absorbent aluminium silicate clay formed from
volcanic ash that expands when wet. It can be in:
- Foundry and Steel: bentonite is added to
sand and water where it binds together silica grains in foundry
casting moulds and lends plasticity and thermal stability.
- Construction and drilling: thanks to its
rheological properties, bentonite is useful in several civil
engineering applications such as cable laying, constructing
tunnels, foundations and walls and in drilling for oil, gas
and water.
- Cat litter
- Paper: bentonite can act as a colour developer
in carbonless copying paper and can also stabilise the hydrogen
peroxide used to bleach paper.
- Food and drink: bentonite clarifies the appearance
and stabilises wine, fruit juice and the flavour of the oil.
It can be used to stabilise beer or to aid palletising and absorb
mycotoxins in animal feed.
- Environmental protection: in the paper industry,
bentonite can be used as a flocculent in the purification of
waste water. In landfills, ii is mixed with soil and swells
to form a barrier.
- Paints and coatings: bentonite acts as a
thickener and prevents pigment from a sediment. It also prevent
paint from running on vertical surfaces thanks its thixotropic
flow properties.
- Chemical industry: to purify mineral oils
or to remove olefins from aromatic compounds.
- Detergents: bentonite can be used as carriers
for photobleaching agents and as fixing agents for non-ionic
solutions in compact detergents.
- Other applications: bentonite can be used
as soil enhancers, in plastic fillers and desiccants, in ceramic
fillers,in cosmetics or to control the printing ink viscosity.
Attapulgite, also known as palygorskite and as fuller’s
earth in the USA, is a complex hydrated magnesium aluminium
silicate. It forms microscopic needle-shaped crystals.
This white or grey silicate can be used in absorbents, as decolouriser,
as neutraliser, in paper coating, in drilling fluids or in animal
feed.
Sepiolite is a rare lightweight clay with peculiar characteristics.
The main applications of this hydrous magnesium silicate include
pet litter, industrial absorbents, animal deed additives, carriers
for insecticides and herbicides, decolourising agents, saling
drilling muds, fillers and rheological additives.
Link:
EUBA-The
European Bentonite Producers Association
World Production of Bentonite and Fuller's Earth
tonnes
| |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
| Europe |
|
|
|
|
|
Armenia |
|
|
|
|
| Bentonite |
3.493 |
2.807 |
995 |
328 |
| Azerbaijan |
|
|
|
|
| Bentonite |
1.000 |
0 |
0 |
– |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina |
|
|
|
|
| Bentonite |
10.000 |
10.000 |
10.000 |
10.000 |
| Bulgaria |
|
|
|
|
| Bentonite |
242.725 |
173.534 |
171.092 |
211.500 |
| Croatia |
|
|
|
|
| Bentonite |
8.441 |
10.013 |
10.580 |
11.204 |
| Cyprus |
|
|
|
|
| Bentonite |
177.000 |
167.000 |
127.000 |
128.000 |
| Czech Republic |
|
|
|
|
| Bentonite |
160.000 |
280.000 |
224.000 |
174.000 |
| Denmark |
|
|
|
|
| Bentonite |
– |
– |
12.166 |
14.539 |
| Georgia |
|
|
|
|
| Bentonite |
9.891 |
7.084 |
7.000 |
– |
| Germany |
|
|
|
|
| Bentonite |
476.580 |
464.616 |
447.913 |
495.310 |
| Greece |
|
|
|
|
| Bentonite |
1.049.657 |
1.148.694 |
1.258.872 |
– |
| Hungary |
|
|
|
|
| Bentonite |
61.928 |
5.120 |
30.441 |
3.700 |
| Italy |
|
|
|
|
| Bentonite |
562.674 |
636.589 |
579.029 |
– |
| Fuller's Earth |
59.903 |
25.384 |
19.815 |
– |
| Macedonia |
|
|
|
|
| Bentonite |
30.000 |
30.000 |
30.000 |
30.000 |
| Poland |
|
|
|
|
| Fuller's Earth |
5.000 |
4.000 |
– |
– |
| Romania |
|
|
|
|
| Bentonite |
20.577 |
37.587 |
23.779 |
15.402 |
| Russia |
|
|
|
|
| Bentonite |
500.000 |
500.000 |
500.000 |
500.000 |
| Slovakia |
|
|
|
|
| Bentonite |
64.390 |
77.000 |
73.000 |
65.000 |
| Spain |
|
|
|
|
| Bentonite |
137.305 |
90.152 |
223.958 |
225.000 |
| Attapulgite |
90.282 |
28.307 |
24.477 |
115.000 |
| Sepiolite |
508.655 |
596.324 |
673.600 |
636.234 |
| Turkey |
|
|
|
|
| Bentonite |
899.614 |
636.273 |
674.178 |
559.224 |
| Sepiolite |
19.945 |
18.295 |
10.253 |
– |
| Ukraine |
|
|
|
|
| Bentonite |
25.000 |
25.000 |
25.000 |
25.000 |
| United Kingdom (a) |
|
|
|
|
| Fuller' Earth |
74.500 |
65.500 |
52.000 |
44.200 |
| Europe total |
|
|
|
|
| Attapulgite |
90.282 |
28.307 |
24.477 |
115.000 |
| Bentonite |
4.440.275 |
4.301.469 |
4.429.003 |
2.468.707 |
| Fuller's Earth |
139.403 |
94.884 |
71.815 |
44.200 |
| Sepiolite |
528.600 |
614.619 |
683.853 |
636.234 |
| |
|
|
|
|
| Africa |
|
|
|
|
| Algeria |
|
|
|
|
| Bentonite |
15.491 |
22.708 |
21.282 |
27.118 |
| Fuller's Earth |
2.489 |
3.431 |
3.254 |
3.521 |
| Egypt |
|
|
|
|
| Bentonite |
50.000 |
50.000 |
50.000 |
– |
| Morocco |
|
|
|
|
| Bentonite |
36.528 |
43.152 |
71.741 |
65.754 |
| Fuller's Earth |
21.956 |
30.665 |
40.664 |
43.243 |
| Mozambique |
|
|
|
|
| Bentonite |
11.187 |
16.418 |
1.611 |
580 |
| Senegal |
|
|
|
|
| Attapulgite |
139.300 |
148.700 |
121.100 |
176.454 |
| South Africa |
|
|
|
|
| Bentonite |
50.363 |
90.129 |
108.306 |
93.870 |
| Attapulgite |
7.067 |
10.287 |
8.894 |
– |
| |
|
|
|
|
| America |
|
|
|
|
| Guatemala |
|
|
|
|
| Bentonite |
4.301 |
3.317 |
18.469 |
12.415 |
| Mexico |
|
|
|
|
| Bentonite |
208.611 |
269.730 |
415.133 |
432.941 |
| Fuller's Earth |
47.522 |
51.685 |
148.194 |
142.706 |
| Nicaragua |
|
|
|
|
| Bentonite |
1.760 |
– |
– |
– |
| USA |
|
|
|
|
| Bentonite (c) |
4.070.000 |
3.760.000 |
4.290.000 |
4.110.000 |
| Fuller's Earth |
2.560.000 |
2.910.000 |
2.890.000 |
3.400.000 |
| Argentina |
|
|
|
|
| Bentonite |
128.809 |
125.686 |
130.000 |
– |
| Fuller's Earth |
1.500 |
1.500 |
1.500 |
– |
| Brazil |
|
|
|
|
| Bentonite |
296.489 |
317.621 |
197.074 |
319.302 |
| Chile |
|
|
|
|
| Bentonite |
1.104 |
1.314 |
1.695 |
632 |
| Colombia |
|
|
|
|
| Bentonite |
8.500 |
8.500 |
8.500 |
– |
| Peru |
|
|
|
|
| Bentonite |
19.659 |
21.059 |
18.217 |
20.760 |
| |
|
|
|
|
| Asia |
|
|
|
|
| China |
|
|
|
|
| Bentonite |
766.860 |
1.124.340 |
1.289.700 |
– |
| India |
|
|
|
|
| Bentonite (b) |
456.386 |
500.000 |
– |
– |
| Fuller's Earth (b) |
138.287 |
– |
– |
– |
| Indonesia |
|
|
|
|
| Bentonite |
5.213 |
5.000 |
5.000 |
– |
| Iran |
|
|
|
|
| Bentonite (d) |
129.561 |
191.552 |
174.642 |
– |
| Japan |
|
|
|
|
| Bentonite |
428.247 |
415.115 |
405.738 |
– |
| Myanmar |
|
|
|
|
| Bentonite (b) |
1.066 |
998 |
998 |
900 |
| Pakistan |
|
|
|
|
| Bentonite (e) |
15.349 |
14.354 |
16.441 |
17.799 |
| Fuller's Earth (e) |
15.565 |
17.978 |
13.668 |
15.951 |
| Philippines |
|
|
|
|
| Bentonite |
1.844 |
1.500 |
1.500 |
– |
| Republic of Korea |
|
|
|
|
| Bentonite |
112.258 |
67.652 |
116.098 |
89.905 |
| Fuller's Earth |
35.246 |
28.400 |
38.378 |
18.757 |
| Thailand |
|
|
|
|
| Bentonite |
4.535 |
2.100 |
200 |
– |
| Turkmenistan |
|
|
|
|
| Bentonite |
5.000 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Uzbekistan |
|
|
|
|
| Bentonite |
15.000 |
15.000 |
15.000 |
15.000 |
| |
|
|
|
|
| Oceania |
|
|
|
|
| Austalia |
|
|
|
|
| Bentonite (e) |
179.804 |
99.272 |
95.429 |
113.047 |
| Fuller's Earth |
10.240 |
11.860 |
13.194 |
11.926 |
| New Zealand |
|
|
|
|
| Bentonite |
12.258 |
9.419 |
8.300 |
7.800 |
| |
|
|
|
|
| World total Bentonite |
11.500.000 |
11.500.000 |
12.400.000 |
12.200.000 |
| World total Fuller's Earth
(g) |
3.700.000 |
4.100.000 |
4.200.000 |
4.800.000 |
Notes:
Bentonites consist of montmorillonite (one of the smectite group
of clay minerals) and occur in two main varieties, calcium bentonite,
the most commonly occuring, and sodium bentonite, industrially
the more important.
Calcium bentonite can be converted to sodium bentonite by a
sodium-exchange process.
In some countries, such as the United Kingdom, calcium bentonite
is known as fuller's earth, a term which is also used to refer
attapulgite, a mineralogically distinct clay mineral but exhibiting
similar properties.
In addition to the countries listed, Austria, Tanzania, Turkmenistan
and Zimbabwe are believed to produce bentonite. France and Iran
mau produce fuller's earth.
(a) Saleable production based on data from producing
companies
(b) Years ended 31 March following the stated
(c) Sold or used by producers
(d) Years ended 20 March following the stated
(e) Years ended 30 June following the stated
(f) Smectite
(g) Including attapulgite and sepiolite
Source: British Geological Survey, World Mineral Statistics
1998-2002, p. 34-36
Bentonite Production in Europe 2003
tonnes
| |
2003 |
| Greece |
1.000.000 |
| Russia |
650.000 |
| Turkey |
550.000 |
| Italy |
500.000 |
| Germany |
450.000 |
| Ukraine |
250.000 |
| Bulgaria |
150.000 |
| Cyprus |
150.000 |
| United Kingdom |
150.000 |
| Spain |
100.000 |
| Czech Republic |
80.000 |
| Slovakia |
50.000 |
| Hungary |
150.000 |
Source: S&B Industrial Minerals S.A. in "Industrial
Minerals", March 2004, p.31
|
|
|
