Bentonite - what is it? Bentonite production, application

Mankind has long learned to use minerals from the depths of the planet to meet its needs.

And if coal, oil and other well-known gifts have been used in industry for a long time, then the useful properties of some minerals have been investigated only recently.

These include a substance such as bentonite. What is this mineral and what is it used for? Below we will try to understand this issue in more detail.

Concept and origin

Bentonite is a clay-like mineral of sedimentary type, with water-absorbing and adsorbing properties. When moistened, its volume may increase several times from its original size.

The name of the mineral is due to the American city of Benton, located in the state of Montana, where for the first time deposits of this mineral were discovered.

The formation of bentonite occurred at the late stages of the geological development of our planet. The reason for its occurrence was the transformation of volcanic sedimentary rocks under the influence of moisture and high temperature.

Variety of deposits

It should be noted that in addition to the hydrothermal process, the appearance of deposits was influenced by many external factors. Therefore, in the world there is a huge number of places where bentonite clay is mined. But they have different properties and are used in various industries.

Mining

In modern mining industry, the development of bentonite clays is mainly carried out by open pit mining. This is due to the peculiarities of the occurrence of this sedimentary rock, the depth of which does not exceed usually 100 meters. The production of bentonite begins only after the exploration of the deposit.

Analysis and geological exploration assess the economic feasibility of starting development, after which activities are conducted to open the deposits. At the same time, the estimated production volume should exceed several million tons. Only in this case the development of a quarry will be profitable.

Each deposit gives its own special bentonite. What are these varieties and where are they used?

Fields of application

The most common fields of application of this mineral are:

• Agriculture. Bentonite is widely used in this industry. Its application for reclamation and as an adsorbent element during field work can not be overemphasized.
• Bentonite for wine making and fruit juice production. Not immediately came to the idea of using a mineral in this industry. In winemaking, bentonite is often brightened with various wines and natural beverages.
• Steel industry. It is indispensable in the foundry industry for the manufacture of various molding mixtures. In addition, cleaning with bentonite clay is an integral part of the production of ferrous alloys.

• Perfumery manufacture and manufacturing of household chemical goods. Bentonite does not contain any toxic additives and has excellent absorbing properties. This is widely used in the manufacture of cosmetics, toilet water, various emulsions and additives that inhibit corrosion. At the same time, the cost of raw materials of even the highest quality is much lower than that of vegetable and animal additives used in the manufacture of household chemicals. Therefore, the use of bentonite significantly reduces the cost of purchasing raw materials.
• Light industry. Bentonite is a cheap and quality substitute for starch and is widely used for the manufacture of fabric products.
• Oil refining industry. It requires a separate bentonite. What kind of a species is it? The fact is that the products obtained during the processing of oil significantly improve their consumer qualities, if previously they were cleaned with bentonite. This removes all unnecessary impurities.

Below we will consider the use of bentonite in certain branches in more detail.

Wine industry

Bentonite for winemaking in recent years is almost the main element of the technological process. Presenting now is difficult, as before did without it.

Basically, it is used in the following cases:

• Clarification of bentonite wine and fruit and berry juices;
• Processing of wine wort to remove from it various enzymes and protein compounds;
• Processing of wine and juice containing materials in order to stabilize them.

Usually, bentonite is used in the wine industry on its own. But in some cases it is possible to use other excipients that are involved in the process as a catalyst.

Benefits of bentonite when used in winemaking

The first advantage . The use of this mineral in wine production, in addition to its cheapness, allows to achieve great advantages in the technological process. Mineral allows to significantly reduce the volume of adhesive waste during processing:

• Lightweight materials. For this, bentonite is mixed with a small amount of baking soda.
• Wort in the process of manufacturing white and champagne wines. For this, the bentonite solution is prepared without the addition of soda. This allows a dense precipitate to be obtained, in which there are absolutely no protein compounds.

The second advantage . Bentonite is easy to apply in production. The resulting solution does not form clumps, which makes it easy to combine it with the wine semi-finished products. At the same time, it has a large coefficient of clarification and stabilization of the finished product.

The third advantage . The low cost of bentonite clays in comparison with similar substances. In this case, the norms of consumption of raw materials for clarification of products in some cases are even lower than for similar sorbents. This allows you to reduce the cost of production, which reduces the cost of finished products and increases the rate of profit in the enterprise.

The fourth advantage . Dry powder of bentonite makes it easy to prepare a solution of any consistency. This is done by adding the necessary amount of liquid.

The fifth advantage . It is possible to get bentonite of any kind and category. It is enough to turn to the supplier of this raw material and get acquainted with the characteristics of this mineral, after which make the necessary choice.

Application in Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD)

Bentonite is often used for HDD. So, when excavation work related to drilling is performed, there are cases of shedding of the walls of the drilled hole. Bentonite clay is used to strengthen the trunk channel. In addition, the hydrophobic properties of building materials containing this mineral make it possible to apply them to reinforce trench walls in earthworks that are conducted below the groundwater table in a particular area.

Bentonite for drilling in the horizontal direction is used in connection with its high astringent properties. Water, coming into contact with this substance, fills the voids in it. The result is a swelling of the mixture and an increase in its volume several times.

If the right proportions of dry powder and liquid are properly maintained, a homogeneous viscous substance is obtained which has thixotropic properties. This means that the solution of bentonite easily absorbs water and becomes supple, which makes it easier to work with it. And in the absence of mechanical impact, it hardens, forming a water barrier.

A special solution of bentonite clay is indispensable for drilling operations in loose and floating soils. It allows to strengthen the walls of the received well, and also to prevent adhesion of soil parts to the drilling devices.

Use in the fight against quicksand

Bentonite is also used in drilling in the case of quicks. As you know, quicksand - a soil mixed with water, which acts on the walls of the well and causes them to constantly collapse.

Usually it consists of sand and pieces of clay, which form the so-called "creeping water". When the well reaches the place of formation of quicksand, a violation of the integrity of its shell leads to filling this mass with all the space behind the walls of the well, which does not allow continuing work. At the same time, the volume of liquid can be so great that even the use of a pump for evacuating the suspension does not solve the problem.

To neutralize the negative effect of quicksand, bentonite clay is used. It is pumped into the annular space. After swelling, this mixture forms a waterproofing mass that does not allow the liquid to fill the well.

Bentonite in modern drilling operations is a magic wand, especially when drilling into water. In addition to hydrophobic properties, it has lubricating properties, which allows to increase the resource of the drilling rig and the cutters themselves.

Conclusion

This article dealt with such material as bentonite, what it is, what it is used for, in what areas of industry and for what purpose it is used, how its extraction is carried out. More details about its physical properties can be found by contacting specialized publications.