What is Bentonite?

Bentonite –“The Mineral with 1000 Uses”

MTI Bentonite Markets:

1. Performance Materials –Key Markets

2. Oilfield Services –Key Markets

3. Environmental –Key Markets

What is Greensand?
•Greensand is a mixture of Silica sand, Bentonite, Seacoal and water.
•The mixture is packed around a pattern, to form a mould.
•Once the mould is formed, the pattern is removed, and 2 halves of the mould are fitted together,
and molten metal is poured into the mould.
•Once the metal has solidified, the sand is shaken off.
•The greensand mixture is then recycled to form another mould.
•In recycling the greensand, new sand, Bentonite, Seacoal and water are added to replace the
materials consumed or lost during the casting process.

Components of Greensand
Refractory–most common is Silica Sand
•Binder–Bentonite
•Carbonaceous–Seacoal
•Binder Activation –Water
•Other Additives –Starch or special additives may be used
•The greensand process enables a very high reuse rate.
•According to reuse rates, the sand will contain more or less old sand –successive sand
regenerations will define each greensand type.

Components of Greensand -Bentonite

•Greensand will change differently according to each foundry.
•The sand will be moreor lessaffected according to the regeneration rate

What is Bentonite?
Formation started 100 million years ago
•Settlement of volcanic ash
•Weathered by wind and rain
•Transformation into a high swelling colloidal mineral

Bentonite Type: Ca or Na?

•In nature, standard exchangeable cations are:
•Calcium Ca+ (natural Ca clay)
•Sodium Na+ (natural Na clay) -more space between layers
•Example of clay sources
•Na clay: Wyoming, U.S.; Australia
•Ca clay: China, Indonesia, India, Turkey, Italy, Greece, Morocco
•Ca clay can be post-treated to replace Ca++ with Na+
•This transformation creates clay that is similar to a natural Na+ bentonite -typically treatment is
done with sodium carbonate (Na2CO3)
•This process of transformation is called “activation”
Typical view of the layer for Na and Ca clays
•Ca clays are often activated with “Na carbonate” to increase some of its strength values

Function of Bentonite
•When hydrated with water it becomes a plastic slurry that when coated around sand grains acts
as a binder
•Readily swells and absorbs the expansion of silica sand

Types of Bentonite
• Sodium bentonite
• Calcium bentonite
• Modified calcium bentonite
• Bentonite blends

General Bentonite Properties

•Creates viscosity at low concentrations in water
•Has very high surface area per unit mass
•Absorbs very large amounts of water
•Holds onto water very strongly
•Swells in contact with water/creates swelling pressure
•Forms stable colloid in water; doesn’t settle over reasonable time
•Platelets are impermeable to gases
•Has high ion-exchange capacity
•Available in large quantities; mined
•Comes in many grades

Calcium Bentonite -Greensand

•High green compression strengths
•Easy mulling –strength development
•Good flowability
•Low viscosity
•Improved shakeout

Natural Sodium and Modified Calcium Bentonite -Greensand

•High durability
•High hot and dry strengths
•Increased wet tensile strength
•Improved deformation
•Good moisture retention
•High tensile strength

ACTIVATION OF BENTONITE

Activation of Bentonite
•Conversion of calcium ions to sodium ions
•Use of sodium salt (sodium carbonate)
•Altered properties

Wet Activation of Bentonite

Laboratory method
•Increase moisture content of clay to 35%
•Calculate NaCo3addition
•Mix thoroughly
•Seal in plastic bag for 7 days
•Test for foundry properties

Activation of Bentonite
Plant Activation Line method
•Increase moisture content of clay to 35%
•Reduce lumps in clay
•Automatic addition of NaCo3
Wet Activation of Bentonite
Plant Activation Line method
•Plant activation line
•Effective ion exchange through shear action
•Stockpile for 7 days
•Field dry to 15% moisture

Post-activation Milling of Bentonite

•Raymond Mill, 1-20 tonne per hour
•Material ground 80% passing 200 mesh
•Final moisture content 10% to 14%

Testing Bentonite
To select a suitable Bentonite for use in metal casting processes, we conduct a series of tests that
will quantify the mineral.
•We test the material under several different characteristics
1.Wet Chemistry
2.Swell and water Absorption
3.Thermal Gravimetric Analysis
4.X-Ray Fluorescence –Chemistry
5.Foundry Properties
6.Thermal Durability

Wet Chemistry Testing

Base Exchange Capacity -CEC (Methylene blue adsorption)
The methylene blue adsorption test primarily measures the Base Exchange capacity of bentonite.
The methylene blue replaces exchangeable cations present on the basal plane surfaces of clay
platelets. The positively charged sites on the methylene blue molecule attach to negatively charged
sites on the basal surface of the clay platelets occupied by the exchangeable cations before
replacement.
-The CEC is reported in (meq/100g)
-Typically a Na Bentonite will be 80 to 100 and Ca Bentonite 70 –90
-Total Hardness –is the total of calcium and magnesium ion content of a bentonite.
•The results are expressed in meq/100g
•Generally a Na Bentonite will be approx. 30, and a Ca Bentonite 70
•Soluble Calcium -Exchangeable calcium and soluble calcium salts are removed from a
bentonite with an organic reagent, then the calcium ion in solution is determined by titration.
•Calcium ion occurs in both sodium and calcium bentonites as an exchange ion and/or as a
soluble salt. The bonding properties of bentonites differ depending on whether the bentonite
contains dominantly exchangeable calcium or sodium.
•Generally a Na Bentonite will be approx. 22, and a Ca Bentonite 65
•pH @6.25% -Generally for Na Bentonite pH > 9, and for Ca Bentonite > 7.5
•44 Micron Grit –This is a sieve test to determine the % of grit present –the lower the value the
less grit
Foundry Properties
The foundry property testing is conducted on a standard sample consisting of 7% Bentonite, Silica
Sand, at a controlled compactability of 40%
•The following tests are conducted
•Moisture %
•Permeability
•Green compressive Strength
•Dry Compressive Strength
•Wet Tensile Strength
•Hot compressive Strength
•These test are conducted on a sample as received (un-calcined), and then a calcined sample –
which has been heated to 600°C –to determine the thermal durability of the clay. This lets us
evaluate how the clay will perform in a foundry application.

Thermal Gravimetric Analysis

As discussed earlier, Bentonite contains internal moisture –often referred to crystalline moisture.
•When the Bentonite is exposed to heat, at a certain temperature this moisture is lost –at this point
the Bentonite has lost its ability to bond and absorb moisture –it is termed dead clay.
•The dead clay is no longer useful as a binder.
•We test Bentonite to establish at what temperature this failure occurs –this TGA analysis is
another important aspect of determining the suitability of a bentonite for foundry use.

Bentonite Mining
•Exploration
•Geological Maps
•Drill Trucks
•Drilling
•Lab Testing