High swelling capacity
Can expand to several times its dry volume when in contact with water. Swelling depends on the bentonite type, water chemistry and processing.
Key characteristics
Small particles. Useful properties.
Thixotropic behaviour
Suitable bentonite dispersions become more fluid when agitated and rebuild a gel-like structure at rest.
Ion exchange properties
Can attract, hold and exchange positively charged ions (cations), contributing to its versatility across applications.
Types of bentonite
Different chemistry. Different behaviour.
Sodium Bentonite
Generally has higher swelling capacity and is widely used in drilling fluids, pond sealing and binder applications.
Calcium Bentonite
Generally has lower swelling capacity. Selected or processed grades are used in cosmetics and adsorption applications. Acid-activated grades are used for bleaching oils. Suitability depends on purity and the intended use.
Common uses
A mineral across industries.
- Drilling mud: Used in oil and gas exploration to develop the required fluid behaviour.
- Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD): Supports stabilisation, lubrication and cooling as part of a designed drilling fluid.
- Foundry sand binder: Binds sand for metal casting in green sand moulding.
- Iron Ore Pelletising: Acts as a binder when agglomerating iron ore fines into pellets.
- Civil engineering and piling: Support slurry helps maintain excavation stability, suspend cuttings and limit fluid loss into suitable ground.
- Cat litter and personal care: Selected grades are used in cat litter and in products such as face masks and creams.
- Animal feed: Suitable, qualified grades can serve technological functions such as binding, subject to applicable feed requirements.
Select for the application
The right grade starts with
the right understanding.
Mineral type alone does not determine performance. Raw material quality, activation, particle size, water chemistry and processing all influence how bentonite behaves in use.
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