Mohave County miner and our mineral wealth., 1921-11-18
MINERAL BEUTON|TE FINDS MANY NEW USES

WASHINGTON, Nov. s.-Numer- ous important industrial uses for a little-nown mineral, bentonite, are suggested by the United States bu- reau of mines in view of the unusual physical and chemical properties pos sessed by this mineral. The name bentonite has been applied to group of clay-like materials characterized by an alkaline oxide and alkaline earth content of to 10 per cent, fine grain size, high obsorptive. powers, and us- ually very strong collodail properties. Bentonite probably represents no min eral of fixed composition, and it's phy- sical properties vary considerably. The type material from Wyoming is light yellow or greenish yellow in color, but from other localities it may be cream colored, white, gray, pink, dark brown or even black. The ap- pearance may be dull or powdery, but freshly cut surface usually has a waNy luster. Bentonite when wetted will absorb more than three times it's weight or seven times its volume of water. The wetter material is ex- ceedingly smooth and soft and feels like soft soap. Some varieties, when wetted with water, expand to six or eight times their original volume. Unlike most clays, bentonite is easily fusible at comparatively low tenn perature.
 Found in Arizona
 Commercial deposits of bentonite occur in the Laramie and Big Horn basins in Wyoming; in San Bernar- dino and San Diego counties, Cali fornia; at Ardmore and Belle Four che, South Dakota; and at various localities in Montana, Arizona, Utah, Texas, Tennessee, Idaho and New Mexico. .... ..'
 Until very recently the uses for bentonite were very few and relatively unimportant, says the bureau of min es. These seem to have been princi- pally in the manufacture of the medi- cal dressing, antiphlogistine; in the manufacture of a packing and dress ing for horses hoofs; as retarder in the manufacture of gypsum wall plaster; as a filler in the manufac- ture of paper; as filler in soap, and as an adulterant in drugs !, and candies. +t.' .r
 Attracts Attention
 Within the last few years the un- usual properties of bentonite have attracted considerable scientific at tention, and systematic research has been undertaken to study this ma terial and to develop the best methods for it's utilization. The forest pro ducts laboratory, of the department of agriculture, Madison, Wis.,, has made rather exhaustive tests on the use in paper making of high-grade variety of light yellow, colloidal Wy oming bentonite, known as Wilkinite. It is reported that the forest products laboratory is also experimenting on the use of bentonite for making news print. Bentonite seems to absorb all the ink without affecting the pulp.
 In the manufacture of soap it has been proved that some bentonites can actually replace 25 to 50 per cent of the soap substance, producing soap equal or superior to the ordin- ary soap.
 Owing to the extremely fine grain size of bentonite the suggestion has been made that it would be suitable as a filler for rubber. It might also be used as a filler for photograph records, textiles, cordage, pressed and nodded electrical insulation, etc. It seems to have interesting possibili- ties in the manufacture of paint.