Baseline Studies of the Clay Minerals Society Source Clays: Introduction

Abstract

Clay minerals share a basic set of structural and chemical characteristics (e.g. they are largely aluminosilicates with layer structures) and yet each clay mineral has its own unique set of properties that determine how it will interact with other chemical species. The variation, in both chemistry and structure, among the clays leads to their applications in extremely diverse fields. Common and important industrial applications of clays are in the manufacture of paper, paint, plastics and rubber. One of their more recent and most economically important applications is in the petlitter industry where their adsorptive and deodorizing properties are used. Specialty uses include clay additive to chicken feed to boost nutritional uptake by the chicken, and in using clay as fillers and major ingredients in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. Clays are used for their catalytic properties and for their ability to adsorb greases, fats and other organic materials. Those who exist with scarce resources frequently collect clays from local deposits and ingest them as a source of dietary minerals. It is difficult for a day to go by without using a product incorporating clay minerals, as we all use ceramics such as dinnerware and sanitaryware.