Zeolites are naturally occurring minerals most commonly found in specific types of sedimentary rocks in the form of small crystals associated with clays , other silicate and aluminosilicate phases of similar density. Because of zeolite's molecular composition, it has an incredible absorbent/adsorbent ability. As a result, people are constantly developing new applications for the use of zeolite and it is emerging as one of the most useful minerals being excavated today. Zeolites, often referred to as nature's miracle, are naturally occurring microporous, aluminosilicate minerals that are formed where volcanic rocks and ash layers react with alkaline groundwater. Zeolites have also been known to crystallize in shallow marine basins, however like most natural resources found in the earth, the formations occur slowly over thousands of years. Because of how it is formed, naturally occurring zeolites are rarely found in pure form and are often contaminated by varying degrees of minerals such as metals, quartz or clays. Using low-grade zeolites that are contaminated by other minerals can be detrimental to the results, which makes it extremely important to source high-purity zeolite that is suited to the type of application involved.
Zeolites' porous, honeycomb like molecular structure allows it to accommodate and assist in the exchange of cations such as Na+, K+, Ca2+, MG2+ as well as several others. This unique molecular sieve quality of zeolites allows the positive ions to be readily exchanged and selectively sorted based on the size of the channels of the specific type of zeolite. While natural zeolites were discovered over 250 years ago, people have only recently begun to realize the true potential and capabilities of zeolite. As a result, it has also been dubbed the mineral of the 21st century and new applications are continually being discovered around the world. Zeolite is an inorganic material that originates from volcanic ash that is spewed into the atmosphere during violent eruptions. The volcanic ash plumes often travel thousands of miles before being deposited on the earth's surface. Zeolites are often formed where volcanic rock is immersed in water. This immersion causes a leaching of some of the components.
First known uses of Zeolite can be traced back the the B.C.E when Roman's employed the mineral in their aqua ducts. Zeolite was not discovered in the USA until the 1950's. In the 1970's it was used in the treating of wastewater ammonia and radioactive material. As the mineral's amazing filtration and absorption ability became more known, people started using it in pools in Europe and the USA. Since the 1980's, Zeolite has been identified for use in many different applications and as such has become a very valuable commodity.
As per the renowned zeolite expert Dr F.A. Mumpton, KMI's Amargosa Valley deposit is extremely large; containing several tens of millions of tons of zeolite ore. In his words it "is unquestionably one of the largest and highest grade clinoptilolite deposits in the United States." The ore is relatively hard, which is good or bad, depending on the proposed end use. Good, if attrition resistance is desire (e.g., in water treatment and purification applications, where constant agitation might cause a softer ore to disintegrate), and bad, if ease of pulverization and softness to the touch is a desired quality (e.g., for cosmetic or pharmaceutical use). The NH4 cation-exchange capacity (CEC), determined on six samples, ranged from about 1.6 to 2.0 meq/g greater than most clinoptilolite-rich products from other deposits. The exchange cations are mainly sodium and potassium, with some calcium, a common mixture of cations found in most zeolites. The water loss (LOI) also appears to be within the normal range for clinoptilolite (15-20%). The color is light green, similar, but slightly darker than the DVJ ore. The pore diameter is between 4.0 - 7.0 angstroms and the purity content is 97%+ (on three independently analyzed samples with chain of custody). The product is approximately 55lbs per cu. ft depending on gradation and has a neutral PO. The hardness of KMI's zeolite is between 4.0 and 5.0 Moh's on the hardness scale.
KMI has done extensive testing on its zeolite in order to provide customers with accurate physiochemical properties and maximize the effectiveness of the zeolite within the end-users application. Bearing in mind that the practical value of a zeolite ore is determined only by how will it works in a given application, KMI's clinoptilolite deposit west of Death Valley Junction, California, is one of the best that has been found to date.