Resumen de Soaking it up: : Bentonite's global reach
Industrial Minerals
Bentonite is characterised by exchangeable cations such as Ca[superscript]2+, Mg[superscript]2+, Na[superscript]+ or Li[superscript]+ which affect its designation and properties. For example, bentonite is typically described as either swelling or non-swelling bentonite. Swelling bentonite (also known as western bentonite) is sodium bentonite that swells in water and is generally used in its natural state. Non-swelling bentonite is calcium bentonite (also known as southern bentonite) that is used as mined, after treatment with soda ash to produce sodium-exchanged bentonite, or treated with acid to produce bleaching clay. Li-rich bentonite is known as hectorite and is commercially mined only in the US.
According to data from the China Non Metallic Industry Association (CNMIA) China's bentonite production had increased from 4m to 8m tpa by 2014; however the Chinese bentonite industry currently faces difficulties such as low demand and fierce competition mainly in the IOP space. This is because imported lumpy iron ore has reduced demand for IOP-grade bentonite as a binder for Chinese iron ore fines such as magnetite. The CNMIA reported recently that Chinese IOP production was approximately 130m tonnes, consuming some 2.5m tpa of bentonite at an addition rate of about 2% bentonite per tonne of iron ore.
AMCOL International was acquired by Minerals Technologies Inc. (MTI) in 2014 and is the leading producer, accounting for an estimated 15% of global bentonite production, most of which is produced in the US in Wyoming (Colony and Lovell) and Alabama (Sandy Ridge). MTI also produces bentonite from mines and plants in Australia (Gurulmundi), China ([Jianping] area), Mexico and Turkey (Enez area) and in addition has plants in other countries including Australia, China, India, Poland, South Korea, Thailand and the UK where imported and/or local bentonite is processed. MTI has numerous blending plants in the US where specialised foundry blends are produced; these products are known as Additrol which are custom bentonite blends that may also include carbonaceous products, cereals, iron oxides and starches. MTI supplies most bentonite markets and also has plants producing geosynthetic clay liners in the US, Poland and other global locations.
