What does bentonite mean?
Definitions for bentonite
ˈbɛn tnˌaɪtben·tonite
This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word bentonite.
Princeton's WordNet
bentonitenoun
an absorbent aluminum silicate clay formed from volcanic ash
Wiktionary
bentonitenoun
any of several impure clay minerals consisting mostly of montmorillonite
bentonitenoun
a porous clay formed by the decomposition of volcanic ash that swells 5 to 6 times its original volume in the presence of water
Etymology: Bentonite is named after the place it was first mined, Fort Benton, Montana.
Wikipedia
Bentonite
Bentonite () is an absorbent swelling clay consisting mostly of montmorillonite (a type of smectite) which can either be Na-montmorillonite or Ca-montmorillonite. Na-montmorillonite has a considerably greater swelling capacity than Ca-montmorillonite. Bentonite usually forms from the weathering of volcanic ash in seawater, or by hydrothermal circulation through the porosity of volcanic ash beds, which converts (devitrification) the volcanic glass (obsidian, rhyolite, dacite) present in the ash into clay minerals. In the mineral alteration process, a large fraction (up to 40-50 wt.%) of amorphous silica is dissolved and leached away, leaving the bentonite deposit in place. Bentonite beds are white or pale blue or green (traces of reduced Fe2+) in fresh exposures, turning to a cream color and then yellow, red, or brown (traces of oxidized Fe3+) as the exposure is weathered further.As a swelling clay, bentonite has the ability to absorb large quantities of water, which increases its volume by up to a factor of eight. This makes bentonite beds unsuitable for building and road construction. However, the swelling property is used to advantage in drilling mud and groundwater sealants. The montmorillonite / smectite making up bentonite is an aluminium phyllosilicate mineral, which takes the form of microscopic platy grains. These give the clay a very large total surface area, making bentonite a valuable adsorbent. The plates also adhere to each other when wet. This gives the clay a cohesiveness that makes it useful as a binder and as an additive to improve the plasticity of kaolinite clay used for pottery.One of the first findings of bentonite was in the Cretaceous Benton Shale near Rock River, Wyoming. The Fort Benton Group, along with others in stratigraphic succession, was named after Fort Benton, Montana, in the mid-19th century by Fielding Bradford Meek and F. V. Hayden of the U.S. Geological Survey. Bentonite has since been found in many other locations, including China and Greece (bentonite deposit of the Milos volcanic island in the Aegean Sea). The total worldwide production of bentonite in 2018 was 20,400,000 metric tons.
ChatGPT
bentonite
Bentonite is a type of absorbent clay formed by the breakdown of volcanic ash, mainly composed of the mineral montmorillonite. This material is very plastic when it becomes wet and can expand many times its original volume. It has various industrial applications such as drilling mud, binder in foundry sands, and as a filler in pharmaceuticals, detergents, paints, and other products. In addition, it is also used in environmental applications for the sealing of disposal facilities for radioactive or other hazardous waste.
Wikidata
Bentonite
Bentonite is an absorbent aluminium phyllosilicate, essentially impure clay consisting mostly of montmorillonite. There are different types of bentonite, each named after the respective dominant element, such as potassium, sodium, calcium, and aluminium. Experts debate a number of nomenclatorial problems with the classification of bentonite clays. Bentonite usually forms from weathering of volcanic ash, most often in the presence of water. However, the term bentonite, as well as a similar clay called tonstein, has been used to describe clay beds of uncertain origin. For industrial purposes, two main classes of bentonite exist: sodium and calcium bentonite. In stratigraphy and tephrochronology, completely devitrified ash-fall beds are commonly referred to as K-bentonites when the dominant clay species is illite. Other common clay species, and sometimes dominant, are montmorillonite and kaolinite. Kaolinite-dominated clays are commonly referred to as tonsteins and are typically associated with coal.
U.S. National Library of Medicine
Bentonite
A colloidal, hydrated aluminum silicate that swells 12 times its dry size when added to water.
Matched Categories
Usage in printed sourcesFrom:
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Numerology
Chaldean Numerology
The numerical value of bentonite in Chaldean Numerology is: 2
Pythagorean Numerology
The numerical value of bentonite in Pythagorean Numerology is: 5
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Translations for bentonite
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"bentonite." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2025. Web. 9 Feb. 2025. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/bentonite>.
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