Bentonite Clay — Swelling Montmorillonite for Drilling, Foundry & Civil Works

Product overview

Bentonite is a naturally occurring aluminium phyllosilicate clay dominated by montmorillonite — the mineral that swells on contact with water and forms thixotropic gels. Sodium-exchanged bentonite from Black Sea and MENA clay pits is the standard export grade for oilfield drilling mud, horizontal directional drilling (HDD), foundry green-sand bonding, iron-ore pelletizing binders, and civil-engineering slurry walls where low permeability barriers are required.

Our export grade carries montmorillonite at 75% minimum with a swelling index of 24 ml per 2 g — sufficient for API-style drilling-fluid yield without excessive gel strength that blocks pump suction lines. Moisture is capped at 12% to prevent caking in bulk holds and bag stacks during humid ocean transit. Milled to 200 mesh (74 μm) with 90% passing, the powder disperses rapidly in freshwater or brine systems and meets the fineness that foundry sand mixers and pelletizing discs expect.

Typical buyers include drilling-fluid service companies building seasonal mud inventory ahead of rig campaigns, foundries on long-term clay supply contracts for green-sand casting lines, mining concentrators using bentonite as a pellet binder, and civil contractors sourcing slurry for diaphragm-wall and pipe-jacking projects. HS code 2508.10. MOQ from 1,000 MT on FOB, CFR or CIF terms.

Full specification

Loading ports & logistics

Bentonite is a fine, low-density powder that demands dust control and moisture management at every handling stage. We coordinate three principal delivery modes depending on parcel size and receiver infrastructure.

Bulk vessel holds suit FOB parcels from 1,000 MT upward at clay-pit terminals on the Black Sea and in the Eastern Mediterranean. Loading rates of 3,000–5,000 MT per day via pneumatic or grab systems; hold ventilation instructions are mandatory to prevent moisture condensation during voyage. Handysize and supramax tonnage aligned with draft limits at your discharge berth.

1-ton jumbo bags on pallets load into 20-foot and 40-foot containers for parcels of 500–2,000 MT where the receiver lacks bulk-unloading equipment. Each bag is polyethylene-lined to block moisture ingress; container stuffing at origin bagging lines avoids open-air exposure.

25 kg paper sacks serve foundry and drilling-service buyers needing warehouse-friendly units. Twenty-foot containers hold approximately 20–22 MT net. CFR and CIF quotations add ocean or container freight and marine insurance to the FOB clay price. Typical lead time 10–20 days from contract execution to loading window.

Packaging & documentation

Cargo ships as unbagged bulk in vessel holds, 1-ton jumbo bags, or 25 kg multi-wall paper sacks — presentation quoted separately from the FOB bentonite price. Each lot is accompanied by a mill certificate of analysis showing montmorillonite content, swelling index, moisture, particle size distribution and pH, plus a safety data sheet (SDS) per GHS, commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading and certificate of origin.

Third-party inspection (SGS, Bureau Veritas or equivalent) at loading can be arranged on buyer request. Hold cleanliness survey and moisture certification are included in the shipping instructions package for bulk parcels. For bagged cargo, pallet strapping and fumigation certificate are issued where destination phytosanitary rules require treatment of wood packaging.

FAQ

Related products

• Iron Ore Fines — pelletizing feedstock that uses bentonite as a binder
• Rock Phosphate — companion bulk mineral for fertilizer and industrial circuits
• Soil Conditioners — organo-mineral blends incorporating bentonite fines