In the full collection of research data on the basis of the elaboration of China’s bentonite resource characteristics, analyse the development and utilization of the current situation and problems, put forward the bentonite industry development proposals, in order to provide reference to the development of China’s bentonite industry.

Bentonite is a development and application of the earliest, most widely used, has a high economic value of one of the non-metallic minerals. Based on its excellent performance is widely used in metallurgy, casting, drilling, petrochemical, light industry, agriculture, forestry and animal husbandry and construction and other fields, enjoying the reputation of ‘universal clay’.

At present, China’s bentonite-related products reach more than 300 kinds. In this paper, research and analysis of China’s bentonite resources, from the distribution of resources and bentonite properties of China’s bentonite characteristics are described; from China’s bentonite market, industrial status and import and export situation of the market situation is analysed, summed up the structure of China’s consumption of bentonite, put forward the problems of development and utilization of bentonite, and put forward countermeasures to the development of the industry recommendations.

1. Bentonite resource status of China

Bentonite mineral resources are rich, widely distributed, the country’s 24 provinces (regions) are bentonite output. Among them, the identified resource reserves of more than 100 million tonnes of provinces and regions have 10, including: Guangxi, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, Jiangsu, Anhui, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Zhejiang, Shandong, Liaoning. China’s bentonite ore types are complete, both calcium-based bentonite, sodium-based bentonite, in addition to hydrogen-based, aluminium-based, sodium-calcium-based and other types of bentonite, of which calcium-based bentonite is the most numerous, accounting for about 80% or more. As of 2019, there are 223 bentonite mining areas in China, with a total of 3.005 billion tonnes of identified resource reserves, 674 million tonnes of base reserves, 270 million tonnes of reserves and 2.331 billion tonnes of resources.

The main characteristics of China’s bentonite resources: ① deposit genesis type to sedimentary type is dominant, accounting for about 70% of the country’s bentonite reserves; the ore body is layered output, layer stability, the main layer of buried shallow, easy to mine; but the montmorillonite content of more than 70% of the high-quality minerals are relatively scarce most of the montmorillonite content of 70% of the following calcium bentonite mines; bentonite associated with the minerals are often gypsum, perlite, coal beds, zeolites Rock, oil shale, refractory clay, etc.; ② calcium-based bentonite-based, accounting for about 80% of the total reserves, while sodium-based bentonite reserves are less; ③ widely distributed, mainly in Anhui, Hebei, Zhejiang, Liaoning, Jilin, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia and other provinces, but the main production of mines is more concentrated, mainly in Xinjiang and Feng, Liaoning Jianping, Montenegro, Hebei Xuanhua, Zhejiang Lin’an, Yuhang, Anji, Jiangxi Guangfeng, Henan Xinyang, Shandong Anhua, etc. 2. Shandong Anhua and other places.

2 . Bentonite development and utilization of the current situation

2.1 Development and utilisation of China’s bentonite

China bentonite development and use of bentonite has a long history, as early as the Tang Dynasty medical masterpieces, ‘Gleanings from the Materia Medica’ recorded in the adsorption and decontamination capacity of bentonite. 1949 after the founding of New China, China’s bentonite mineral development can be roughly divided into four phases: Stage I: the early 1950s to 1974, for the formation of the bentonite industry stage; Stage II: 1974 to 1977, the search for sodium-based bentonite. 1977, the search for sodium bentonite stage; Stage III: 1977 ~ 1980, bentonite geological development stage; Stage IV: 1980 ~ now, expanding the application of bentonite stage.

According to the China Nonmetallic Minerals Industry Association statistics, China’s existing bentonite mines and processing enterprises more than 270, the enterprise production scale is generally small, more than 20 enterprises above the scale, the formation of Hebei, Zhejiang and Liaoning three major production bases of bentonite.2016 ~ 2020 period, China’s bentonite production in general is rising trend, in 2016 for the 8.14 million t, 2020 production rose to 9 million t ( Figure 1). Among them, 18% is used in the foundry industry, 24% is used in drilling mud, 32% is used in iron ore pellets, and the others are used in petrochemicals, textiles, food oils and fats, agriculture and building materials industry, papermaking, rubber, medical care, beauty and other industries, such as fine chemical industry, bentonite product application areas and main uses

2.2 Import and export situation of China bentonite

China is a large producer of bentonite, but the development and utilization of bentonite to a lower degree, especially the deep processing of bentonite and high value-added use of bentonite is currently a weak link in China’s bentonite processing industry, resulting in bentonite products in the international market, ‘low out of the high into the’ situation, that is, the export of raw bentonite and other low-end products, imports of organic bentonite and so on. High-end products, so it is not a strong producer of bentonite.

According to customs statistics, during the period from 2016 to 2019, China’s bentonite imports basically maintained at about 110,000 t, 2020 imports rose to 118,400 t. During the period from 2016 to 2019, China’s exports of bentonite, but maintained at a high level of 240,000 t, 2020 to reach a maximum of 296,800 t. The export of bentonite in 2020 was about 1.5 million tonnes.

At present, many high-end products such as white water treatment agent in the paper industry, water-in-water additives in the coating industry, carbonless copy paper material additives, etc. still need to be imported.In 2020, China’s bentonite imports amounted to 31,020,700 US dollars, a year-on-year increase of 6.15%, and exports amounted to 109,714,600 US dollars, a year-on-year increase of 105.23%.

2.3 Price situation of China bentonite

At present, the price of bentonite in China is closely related to product use, type and so on. From the point of view of product use, the price of bentonite for casting is generally 450 to 650 yuan / t, drilling mud with bentonite prices in the 400 to 600 yuan / t, the price of bentonite for general pellets in the 400 to 500 yuan / t, composite pellets with bentonite prices in the 700 yuan / t, the price of high-end engineering bentonite prices in the 1,500 yuan / t. Rubber special bentonite priced at 4,800 yuan / t, silicone rubber special bentonite prices. From the product type, the price of sodium bentonite is generally 300 ~ 500 yuan / t, lithium bentonite price is generally 3000 ~ 3500 yuan / t, the price of activated white clay 1200 ~ 1800 yuan / t, granular white clay is 4000 yuan / t, and processed into organic bentonite, and the price of organic bentonite, and the price of organic bentonite. While processing into organic bentonite, inorganic gel prices can be as high as tens of thousands of yuan per tonne.

2.4 Technology R & D status  of China bentonite 

Recent years, bentonite industry R & D investment continues to increase, both the traditional industry’s technological innovation and progress, such as the efficient use of pellets and skills transformation, but also the development of new materials in new areas, such as high-temperature drilling mud materials, the preparation of a new type of pre-watered bentonite seepage control material development; especially for health and environmental protection industry bentonite raw materials and fine chemical products to continue to develop, such as soil conditioners, food-grade bentonite, and the development of the food industry. Such as soil conditioners, food grade activated white clay, organic bentonite, pharmaceutical grade montmorillonite, beauty inorganic gel and other bentonite products production and application, technology and equipment level is also increasing.

2.5 Development and utilisation of existing problems in China’s bentonite

Although in the industrial restructuring, scientific and technological innovation and other aspects of the achievements, but there are still some constraints on the high-quality development of the industry, highlighted in the following aspects:

(1) Low quality resource reserves, a serious waste of resources. China’s bentonite resources are widely distributed, large reserves, but the vast majority of calcium-based bentonite, high-quality sodium-based bentonite reserves are less. Bentonite mining process of indiscriminate mining, mining rich and poor and other phenomena prevail, a serious waste of resources, there is no unified, standardised overall design for the protective development of resources.

(2) small-scale enterprises, equipment level is low. Most of China’s bentonite enterprise scale is small, the output value of hundreds of millions of enterprises are only a few. Production equipment is simple, few large-scale equipment, low level of automation and control.

(3) Low value-added products, industrial structure is unreasonable. Product homogenisation is serious, more than 90% of bentonite products for the pellet soil, foundry soil and drilling mud and other primary products. High-end product technology level compared with Europe, America and Japan and other countries there is a big gap, many high-end products still need to be imported.

(4) Talent shortages, lack of innovation. Talent introduction, training, incentives and other mechanisms are not sound, China’s bentonite enterprises generally lack of technical and management personnel, low level of technology research and development. Most bentonite enterprises do not have R & D institutions, lack of research and development personnel.

3. Development and utilisation of countermeasures

(1) Improve the comprehensive use of bentonite resources, strengthen the bentonite geological prospecting. Through scientific and technological innovation, improve the comprehensive utilization of bentonite resources, the resources ‘eat up’; at the same time, we should increase the investment in geological prospecting, improve the effect of geological prospecting for the bentonite industry, high quality, sustainable development to provide resource security.

(2) Optimise industrial structure and promote intensive development mode. Through resource integration, restructuring and unification, and continuously improve the bentonite industry concentration, to create a leading enterprise group in the bentonite industry, to promote the high-quality development of the bentonite industry, and gradually phase out technologically backward, low value-added small enterprises, to promote the optimal allocation of bentonite resources and optimal combination of elements of industrial development.

(3) Strengthen technical research and promote product upgrading. Improve the scientific and technological research and development system, support enterprises to set up joint colleges and universities and research institutes of industry, academia and research consortiums, to carry out research and development of core technologies, and constantly improve the value-added products and deep processing technology, equipment. Innovation of bentonite potential market, promote refined production, the formation of bentonite system industry chain, to develop new consumer areas.

(4) Focus on talent training, establish a sound talent training mechanism. Enterprises should build a multi-channel talent training system, raise awareness of the importance of talent training, accelerate the introduction and training of high-level innovative talents, to create a solid basic theory, deep academic attainments, the courage to develop innovative pioneering scientific research team.