Study on Characteristics of Bentonite in Huludao, Liaoning

Huludao is the starting point of the Jinxi-Hartao metallogenic belt. In order to explore the characteristics of Huludao bentonite, six bentonite mines in Huludao were studied. Crystalline phases, montmorillonite content, swelling property, cation exchange performance of the samples were characterized and evaluated by X-ray diffraction, swelling volume, cation exchange capacity and methylene blue index, respectively. By comparing Huludao bentonite with other bentonites in western Liaoning, the characteristics of bentonite in western Liaoning were summarized. Huludao bentonite belongs to calcium-base bentonite and has the following advantages: high whiteness, high montmorillonite content, simple mineral composition, good cation exchange performance and stable ore quality, which has a strong representativeness in western Liaoning. However, bentonite in the western Liaoning generally contains cristobalite, which limits the application range of the product.