Sodium bentonites absorb large quantities of water, swelling to many times their original volume, and give rise to permanent suspensions of gellike masses. These have been used to seal dams; in bonding foundry sands, asbestos, and mineral wool; as drilling muds; in portland cements and concrete, ceramics, emulsions, insecticides, soaps, pharmaceuticals, and paints; in the manufacture of paper; for clarifying water, juices, and liquors; and as a water softener to remove calcium from hard water. Calcium bentonites are nonswelling and break down to a finely granular aggregate that is widely used as an absorbent clay sometimes called fuller’s earth.
Sodium bentonite has been called the “mineral of a thousand uses”. It is widely used as a drilling mud additive for the oil and gas industries, for pelletizing iron ore, as a sealer for irrigation ditches, wells, sewage lagoons and landfills and in many other industries
Like Multani Mitti, Bentonite is also a clay. Bentonite clay is made from volcanic ash. It contains elements like calcium, magnesium, potassium and silicate which help in improving beauty. Bentonite clay is used to detox the body.
Since bentonite clay helps absorb excess sebum, people with oily and acne-prone skin types can use the ingredient almost every day says . However, if you’ve got dry-ish or sensitive skin, definitely keep your uses to a minimum.