A Comparative Mineralogical and Physico-Chemical Study of Some Crude Mexican and Pharmaceutical Grade Montmorillonites

Abstract

All bentonites samples including those used as reference were characterized by x-ray diffraction minerological study, whole chemial analysis (total oxides), ion exchange capacity and physical-chemical properties tests. The x-ray diffraction analysis reveal only slight differences among mexican bentonites raw material. Either Mexican bentonite or the reference material show very similar impurity content. Chemical analysis of bentonites show wide variability in oxide content but results are in close accordance with those reported in the literature (2). The results obtained for reference compared to those of raw bentonites are in good agreement.