Overview of Bentonite Mineral Resources

Currently, bentonite, as a drilling mud material, accounts for approximately 18% of the total consumption in the entire bentonite industry. Practice has proven that the pulping performance of low-grade calcium based bentonite is far inferior to that of sodium based bentonite. Therefore, before using bentonite for pulping in China, artificial sodium treatment will be carried out, and appropriate synergists and dosage will be selected to reasonably increase the content of montmorillonite in the bentonite to achieve the goal of improving pulping performance. In the practical application process, the thixotropy of bentonite leads to equipment clogging, which increases the annoyance of maintenance management.

Powdered bentonite has become a high-quality mineral material for wastewater treatment due to its large specific surface area, excellent adsorption performance, and ion exchange performance. Theoretically, powdery bentonite should have better adsorption effects, but due to its water absorption, swelling, and cohesiveness, the silt binds and agglomerates, significantly reducing the adsorption effect, and generating secondary sludge. In practical applications, powdered bentonite is made into certain shapes for easy recovery and utilization: spherical particles are prepared by the cross-linking action of sodium alginate and calcium chloride solution; Preparing into a strip shape by means of an extrusion device; With the aid of 3D printing technology, using bentonite as a printing material, honeycomb adsorption bricks, etc., should be made, while also ensuring the strength of the formed soil for transportation and application.

Bentonite has good water absorption, suspension, dispersion, adhesion, and thixotropy, and is used as a pharmaceutical adjuvant and carrier in the pharmaceutical industry. Bentonite has dual functions of adsorption and bacteriostasis or sterilization, and is clinically used as a drug for treating diarrhea and gastrointestinal ulcers; Adding bentonite to certain ointments or paste like agents can effectively thicken; Due to its good adsorbability, bentonite is often used as a carrier for pharmaceuticals, which allows pharmaceuticals to function for a long and stable time in the human body. In short, the value of bentonite in medicine has great potential.
Bentonite has good adsorption and ion exchange properties, and is widely used in the food industry. When refining animal and vegetable oil, the acidified bentonite has enhanced adsorption capacity, which can effectively remove impurities and decolorize animal and vegetable oil; Adding bentonite in the brewing process of wine can play a clarifying and stabilizing role in the brewing process; Using bentonite in the processing and refining of daily flavoring products (vinegar, monosodium glutamate, soy sauce, etc.) can effectively remove impurities or clarify, and even improve the nutritional value of flavoring products.