Bleaching earth

Bleaching earth is a naturally occurring or acid-activated clay, primarily derived from bentonite, and is widely used for its excellent adsorption and decolorization properties. It plays a critical role in the edible oil refining, food processing, chemical, pharmaceutical, petrochemical, cosmetics, and environmental industries. Bleaching earth effectively removes unwanted impurities such as color pigments, gums, soaps, trace metals, oxidation products, and contaminants from oils and liquids, resulting in improved clarity, stability, taste, and shelf life.

In edible oil refining, bleaching earth is used during the bleaching stage to purify vegetable oils such as palm oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, groundnut oil, and coconut oil. It is also used in the purification of mineral oils, lubricants, waxes, and animal fats. Carefully processed and quality-controlled bleaching earth ensures high surface area, consistent activity, low oil retention, and minimal filtration loss.

Bleaching Earth – Technical Specifications

Parameter Specification
Material Type Natural / Acid-Activated Clay
Base Mineral Bentonite (Montmorillonite)
Color Light Yellow / Pale Grey / Off-white
Moisture Content ≤ 10%
pH Value 2.5 – 4.5 (Activated)
Surface Area 180 – 300 m²/g
Oil Absorption High
Decolorization Efficiency Excellent
Bulk Density 0.5 – 0.7 g/cm³
Particle Size 200 – 325 mesh
Loss on Ignition (LOI) 8% – 12%
Oil Retention Low
Thermal Stability Good
Packaging 25 kg / 50 kg bags or jumbo bags
Applications Edible Oil Refining, Chemicals, Lubricants, Cosmetics