Bentonite Clay Profile

Origin- Wyoming/USA
Extraction- 100% naturally occurring and naturally quarry mined
Shelf life- Indefinite (4-5 years recommended)
Other Common Names- Sodium Bentonite, Sodium Montmorillonite, Wyoming Bentonite
Notes- The line of Bentonite clay offered by Mountain Rose Herbs is quarry mined from naturally occurring deposits and is untreated.
The variety being offered by Mountain Rose Herbs is a "Sodium Bentonite", and is NSF certified and manufactured to ANSI/NSF 60 standards.

Specifications 
Color- Light gray to off-white
Odor- Flat
Mesh Size- US #200 Mesh

Mineral Content 
Silica- 61.4%
Aluminum- 18.1%
Iron- 3.5%
Sodium- 2.3%
Magnesium- 1.7%
Calcium- 0.04%
Titanium- 0.02%
Potassium- 0.01%
Moisture- 7.8%
pH - 8.3 - 9.1

What is it? 
Bentonite, also referred to as Montmorillonite, is one of the most effective and powerful substances. Bentonite can be used externally as a clay poultice, mud pack or in the bath and, in skin care recipes. Internally it can be added to water or glazed upon food to help those with sensitive palates. A good quality Bentonite should be a grey/cream color and anything bordering "pure white" is suspect. It has a very fine, velveteen feel and is odorless and non-staining. The type of bentonite offered by Mountain Rose herbs is a Sodium Bentonite.

How does it work? 
Bentonite is very unusual in the fact that once it becomes hydrated, the electrical and molecular components of the clay rapidly change and produce an "electrical charge". Its highest power lies in the ability to absorb impurities, heavy metals and other internal substances. Bentonite clay's structure assists it in attracting and soaking up unwanted substances on its exterior wall and then slowly drawing them into the interior center of the clay where it is held in a sort of repository.
To state it another way…
"Bentonite is a swelling clay. When it becomes mixed with water it rapidly swells open like a highly porous sponge. From here the toxins are drawn into the sponge through electrical attraction and once there, they are bound.

Where does it come from? 
Bentonite clay is sedimentary clay composed of weathered and aged volcanic ash. The largest and most active deposits come from Wyoming and Montana. (Mountain Rose Herbs stocks a Wyoming variety).

How is it manufactured? 
Bentonite is usually quarry mined from deposits that can range anywhere from 100 feet to several thousand feet. This depends on the health and vitality of the land it is processed from and how far a producer will go to find the right clay with the proper characteristics and consistency.
From here it is mined from the earth and brought out into the sun to remove excess water and moisture and, to make it easier to work with. After the initial drying begins the final transformation. It gets processed (ground) with huge hydraulic crushers and it then goes through the final process of micronization, or "fine granulating". This is usually done with the assistance of sophisticated and expensive granulators. Upon completion of this final process it gets inspected by a quality control team and is sent off for consumer use.