Bentonite
A claylike mineral consisting largely of
montmorillonite, and characterized by its high
absorptive power and active colloidal properties.
It is usually dark, dull, and powdery, but waxy on
freshly cut surfaces. Its color varies from
yellowish-green to nearly black. Bentonites are
products of the change of volcanic ash, and are
characterized by an alkaline oxide and alkaline
earth content of 5 to 11. They are used as a
filler in paper, for deinking paper pulp, for
decreasing pitch problems in papermaking, and the
like. The name derives from its discovery in
Benton, Wyoming. (17
)
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