Bentonite Clay

 In 1898, W C Knight used the name bentonite to refer to this specific type of clay because the first site discovered was near Fort Benton in the Wyoming, Montana region of the United States. Bentonite clay is an aluminum phyllosilicate, which consists mostly of the mineral montomorilonite. It has the incredible ability to increase as much as 14 times its original volume.

                             

                        Most bentonite deposits date from the Tertiary to Mesozoic periods 

                         (Up To 230 million years ago). 

This may be due to the tendency for bentonite convert to another non-swelling clay called illite or because the conditions for initial formation of the bentonite were not favourable.

Theory To Practice

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