Modification and Purification Experiments of Bentonite from Balikun in Xinjiang

With bentonite deposit samples from Balikun as experiment materials, the bentonite modification and purification experiment was conducted with method of heating suspension liquid after removing the halite from bentonite. The results show that the montmorillonite content ranges from 87%～95% after modification and purification. The method is suitable for the modification of Balikun bentonite. The factors influencing the modification and purification effectiveness, such as rotation speed of the centrifuge and selection of dispersants, were discussed and optimized with centrifuge rotation speed of 2100 r/min and sodium hexametaphosphate and sodium silicate (with mass ratio of 1∶1) as dispersant. The study lays the foundation for the deep processing of Balikun bentonite deposit.