Bentonite is a type of clay that is composed mainly of the mineral montmorillonite. It is named after the town of Benton, Wyoming, where it was first discovered in the early 1900s.
Bentonite has a number of unique properties that make it useful in a variety of industrial and commercial applications. It is highly absorbent, and when mixed with water, it can swell to several times its original volume. This property makes it useful as a sealant, and it is often used to seal ponds, reservoirs, and other bodies of water.
Bentonite is also used as a binding agent in the production of iron ore pellets, and it is used in the manufacturing of ceramics, paint, and paper. In addition, it is often used in drilling muds, as a food additive, and as a natural remedy for digestive problems.
Bentonite is mined from deposits that are found in many parts of the world, including the United States, China, Turkey and Greece. It is often extracted through a process called surface mining, which involves the use of heavy machinery to remove the top layer of soil and rock to access the bentonite deposits below.
