Montmorillonite clay: mineral composition, properties, extraction and applications

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Despite its name, montmorillonite clay is a stone. This is a mineral that is able to absorb a large amount of water and swell at the same time. This property is due to its widespread use in many industries. Clay is edible, in connection with which it is also used as a sorbent that purifies water and various products from harmful impurities. Other names of the mineral are also found in the literature: bolus, Fuller's earth, bentonite. However, it is most commonly referred to as montmorillonite clay. This is due to the name of the area where the stone was first discovered. The mineral was found in one of the cities of France - Montmorillon.

Properties

As mentioned above, the stone, absorbing water, swells strongly. In this case, the mass of the mineral increases up to 20 times. This property of montmorillonite clay is due to its structure. She has layeredcharacter. In this case, the structure is represented by thin scales. Thus, montmorillonite is a sorbent that can be compared to activated carbon. At the same time, the stone is very plastic, due to which it is called clay.

Other properties of montmorillonite:

• The mineral is able to absorb more than just water. It easily absorbs oils, petroleum products and even animal feces.
• Montmorillonite clay is a fairly soft material. It is comparable to talc. On the Mohs scale, the mineral has 1.5 points.
• In stone, the plates are connected with grain-like particles. The diameter of the latter is no more than 2 mm. Due to its complex structure, the clay mineral is able to attract both positively and negatively charged particles. In addition, non-ionic substances also bind to the stone through secondary valence.
• Montmorillonite has voluminous internal voids. Due to this, it can absorb a huge mass of foreign elements.
• The breed has a low density. On average, 1 cm3 accounts for 1.5 g. Thus, the clay is not only plastic, but also very light.
• The mineral is white. Often you can see a gray tint. Sometimes there are also snow-white stones. More rarely, the mineral has a greenish, pinkish, brownish or bluish tint.

Clay cracks as it dries. The nature of its fracture surface is uneven.

Varieties

The mineral composition of montmorillonite clay is not constant. Besides,the water content of the stone is different each time.

Most often, oxides of the following elements are present in the mineral:

• aluminum;
• iron;
• magnesium;
• calcium;
• potassium;
• sodium.

The percentage of oxides is not the same, which affects the properties of the material. For example, in some cases, the density of a mineral increases.

Depending on the chemical composition, clay is classified as follows: Cu-, Fe, Cu-Fe-, Ni-, Mg-montmorillonite.

Origin

As a rule, the formation of material occurs in exogenous conditions. The most favorable for the formation of the mineral is an alkaline environment rich in Mg.

Montmorillonite is a stone that can form:

• in rocks (volcanic, sedimentary, metamorphic);
• in the soil;
• very close to hot springs.

In addition, the mineral is able to form in the marine environment. This happens through the transformation of micas and hydromicas.

Montmorillonite clay is a very stable material. In desert areas, its surface layer turns into a material that looks like ordinary dust, which is carried through the air with the help of wind. Subsequently, it settles in other areas, forming loess deposits.

Deposits

Mintmorillonite is one of the most common materials. Its deposits are concentrated inaround the world.

In Russia they are:

• In Kabardino-Balkaria (Gerpegezh).
• In the Urals (Zyryanskoe field).
• In Khakassia (10th Farm).
• In the Crimea (in the area from Sevastopol to Karasubazar).
• In Yakutia.
• In the Amur region.
• In the Trans-Baikal Territory.
• In the Chelyabinsk region.

Other most famous deposits are in:

• Near the village of Gumbri (Western Georgia).
• On sites near the southeast of Makharadze. A group of deposits is also located in Western Georgia.
• USA (Alabama, California, Georgia, Florida).
• France (Vienna).
• Germany.
• Hungary.
• Japan.

Most montmorillonite clay is extracted from primary deposits. However, alluvial mining is also highly developed. In Russia, the largest amount of the mineral is located in the Amur region. According to statistics, an average of 270,000 tons of montmorillonite is mined annually in the Russian Federation. At the same time, every 12 months this indicator increases by 1/10.

Production

This process is carried out in an open way. In other words, the extraction of clay is carried out during quarrying.

The cost of the rock directly depends on the method of extraction. Career development benefits:

• Preparatory work is carried out not only quickly, but also easily.
• Workers are comfortable and safe.
• Costs of conductingdevelopments are small.
• Efficient mineral recovery.

Preparatory work involves geological exploration. If its results are positive, the area is drained and all necessary communications are built. After that, stripping work is carried out. Then follows directly the process of extraction of montmorillonite. The final step is the transportation of the stone.

Application areas

Montmorillonite is able to absorb a large number of various elements. It has not only adsorbing, but also saponifying properties. Due to this, the mineral is widely used in the following industries:

• Oil industry. Clay perfectly cleans from impurities. The finished oil product does not contain carbonaceous substances, resins, etc.
• Textile industry. During the finishing of cloth materials, stains from oils and fats are removed with the help of clay. In addition, the mineral has bleaching properties.
• Rubber production. The mineral gives it rigidity and strength.
• Cosmetics and soap industry. Clay is found in lipstick, powder, toothpaste, soap, etc.
• Food industry. The mineral purifies water, wines, juices, vegetable oils from impurities.
• Medicine. Montmorillonite is the active ingredient in some drugs prescribed for intoxication.
• Agriculture. Clay is used during the production of animal feed.
• Paper industry.

In addition, the mineral inAs a binder, it is used in the production of ceramic products and iron ore pellets. It is worth noting that clay has excellent waterproofing properties.

Cost

The raw material is very cheap, and therefore it is used massively in many industries. The average cost of clay is 600 rubles per 1 kg.

The price directly depends on the purity of raw materials and on the mineral that prevails in it. After all, as mentioned above, the composition of clay in different deposits is not the same. The cost of the purest raw materials can reach several thousand dollars per 1 ton.

In closing

Montmorillonite clay is actually a mineral that is very plastic, hence its name. The breed was first mined in France. Currently, a large number of deposits have been developed around the world. Montmorillonite has excellent adsorbing properties. It easily absorbs water and various components, increasing in size up to 20 times. Currently, the mineral is used in many industries.