Investigation on the Australian Bentonite received from CSIRO, Melbourne, and Under the International Working Group on Bonding Clays

Abstract

At a meeting of the International Working Group on Bonding Clays held in Zurich in September, 1960, it was decided that the bentonites available in different countries may be investigation in various Research Laboratory by a common code of procedure for comparative results. Accordingly, about 10 kg of an Australian bentonite sample was received from CSIRO, Melbourne. The bentonite as received was in powder from and had alight yellowish brown colour. The following was in powder from and had a light yellowish brown colour. The following tests were conducted on this bentonite such as moisture content, chemical analysis, swelling index, gel strength, dry fineness ,wet fineness, pH value, Petrological examination, Na/Ca ratio (photometric), total base exchange capacity , differential thermal analysis, sintering range and bonding characteristics.