Global Smectite Clays Market Growth 2025-2031

Global Smectite Clays Market Growth 2025-2031

The global Smectite Clays market size is predicted to grow from US$ 1502 million in 2025 to US$ 2059 million in 2031; it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.4% from 2025 to 2031.

The name bentonite was first suggested in 1898 for clay hosted by the Benton Shale in Wyoming. It was initially described as clay formed by the alteration of volcanic ash, but the most widely used commercial definition is that bentonite is clay consisting essentially of smectite minerals (usually montmorillonite) regardless of occurrence or origin.

Most economic bentonite deposits are of Cretaceous age or younger and associated with marine shale and marl (Wyoming), calcareous sands and marls (Morocco), carbonaceous shales and coal (South Africa), sandstone and conglomerate (Australia), dacitic pyroclastics and tuffs (Milos), andesite (China) or rhyolite and obsidian/perlite (China and Mozambique).

Bentonite is characterised by exchangeable cations such as Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+ or Li+ which affect its designation and properties. For example, bentonite is typically described as either swelling or nonswelling bentonite. Swelling bentonite (also known as western bentonite) is sodium bentonite that swells in water and is generally used in its natural state. Non-swelling bentonite is calcium bentonite (also known as southern bentonite) that is used as mined, after treatment with soda ash to produce sodium-exchanged bentonite, or treated with acid to produce bleaching clay. Li-rich bentonite is known as hectorite and is commercially mined only in the US.

Natural bentonites occur in two main forms: Na-based and Ca-based. While Ca-bentonite is more common, Na-bentonite is a more effective binder. To boost the binding power of Ca-bentonite, it is subjected to a chemical reaction with soda ash to activate its outer and inner surfaces, which increases its ability to bind water.

Global 5 largest manufacturers of Smectite Clays are Minerals Technologies (Amcol), Bentonite Performance Minerals LLC (BPM), Clariant, Imerys (S&B) and Black Hills Bentonite LLC, which make up about 54%. Among them, Minerals Technologies (Amcol) is the leader with about 18% market share.

North America is the largest market, with a share about 32%, followed by Europe and Asia-Pacific, with share about 31% and 29%. In terms of product type, Sodium Bentonite occupy the largest share of the total market, about 88%. And in terms of product application, the largest application is Molding Sands, followed by Drilling Mud.

LP Information, Inc. (LPI) ' newest research report, the “Smectite Clays Industry Forecast” looks at past sales and reviews total world Smectite Clays sales in 2024, providing a comprehensive analysis by region and market sector of projected Smectite Clays sales for 2025 through 2031. With Smectite Clays sales broken down by region, market sector and sub-sector, this report provides a detailed analysis in US$ millions of the world Smectite Clays industry.

This Insight Report provides a comprehensive analysis of the global Smectite Clays landscape and highlights key trends related to product segmentation, company formation, revenue, and market share, latest development, and M&A activity. This report also analyzes the strategies of leading global companies with a focus on Smectite Clays portfolios and capabilities, market entry strategies, market positions, and geographic footprints, to better understand these firms’ unique position in an accelerating global Smectite Clays market.

This Insight Report evaluates the key market trends, drivers, and affecting factors shaping the global outlook for Smectite Clays and breaks down the forecast by Type, by Application, geography, and market size to highlight emerging pockets of opportunity. With a transparent methodology based on hundreds of bottom-up qualitative and quantitative market inputs, this study forecast offers a highly nuanced view of the current state and future trajectory in the global Smectite Clays.

This report presents a comprehensive overview, market shares, and growth opportunities of Smectite Clays market by product type, application, key manufacturers and key regions and countries.

Segmentation by Type:
Sodium Bentonite
Calcium Bentonite

Segmentation by Application:
Molding Sands
Iron Ore Pelletizing
Pet Litter
Drilling Mud
Civil Engineering & Environmental
Agriculture
Personal Care, Food & Drug
Others

This report also splits the market by region:
Americas
United States
Canada
Mexico
Brazil
APAC
China
Japan
Korea
Southeast Asia
India
Australia
Europe
Germany
France
UK
Italy
Russia
Middle East & Africa
Egypt
South Africa
Israel
Turkey
GCC Countries

The below companies that are profiled have been selected based on inputs gathered from primary experts and analysing the company's coverage, product portfolio, its market penetration.
Minerals Technologies (Amcol)
Bentonite Performance Minerals LLC (BPM)
Clariant
Imerys (S&B)
Black Hills Bentonite LLC
Wyo-Ben Inc
Bentonite Company LLC (Russia)
Tolsa Group
Laviosa Minerals SpA
G & W Mineral Resources
Hojun Group
Ningcheng Tianyu
Huawei Bentonite
China Jianping Cuican Peng Run Tu
Xinjiang Nonmetallic Minerals
LKAB Minerals
Ashapura Minechem Limited
Star Bentonite Group
Kunimine Industries
Fenghong New Material
Zhejiang Chang'an Renheng Technology
Liufangzi Bentonite
Bentonit União
Castiglioni Pes y Cia
Canbensan
Aydın Bentonit
KarBen
Elementis

Key Questions Addressed in this Report

What is the 10-year outlook for the global Smectite Clays market?

What factors are driving Smectite Clays market growth, globally and by region?

Which technologies are poised for the fastest growth by market and region?

How do Smectite Clays market opportunities vary by end market size?

How does Smectite Clays break out by Type, by Application?

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