APPLICATION / WATER AND SOIL
Bentonite for waterproofing and containment.
Ponds, reservoirs, canals and landfills. Material from our own deposits in Neuquén, milled at our plant in the Zapala Industrial Park, with technical evaluation against the conditions of each project.
HOW IT SEALS
The pore closes
from the inside.
A bentonite barrier does not waterproof the way a membrane does: it does not cover the soil, it modifies it. Mixed with the site soil and wetted, the clay expands and occupies the spaces between particles until water flow is reduced by orders of magnitude.
The mechanism is physical. Smectite platelets take water between their layers, grow in volume and fill the available pore space. In a sandy soil, where water moves freely between grains, that filling is what lowers hydraulic conductivity. The resulting barrier is not a sheet: it is a thickness of treated soil.
Two practical consequences follow. First, performance depends as much on the site soil as on the mineral: the same bentonite in a clean sandy soil and in a soil with fines gives different results at the same dosage. Second, the barrier is self-healing within limits: a crack from settlement closes again when the clay rehydrates, which a punctured membrane does not do.
WHERE IT IS USED
Projects that reach us
as enquiries.
Ponds and reservoirs. Water retention for irrigation, industrial supply or process use. The barrier is built by mixing into the base and the slopes.
Open canals and conveyances. Reducing infiltration losses along permeable stretches.
Landfills. Bottom liners and covers, where hydraulic conductivity is specified in the tender documents and must be demonstrated by testing.
Containment in industrial plants. Basins, hardstanding areas and secondary containment bunds.
In every case the final specification depends on the use and on the validation of the project's technical authority. We do not offer performance that has not been verified in the mix and dosage actually planned.
SAMPLES AND ANALYSIS
The analysis that matters
is the one for your batch.
We do not publish a generic analysis of the material. We send samples to anyone who requests them and, when a customer needs an analysis, it is carried out on the batch that will actually be delivered.
This is a deliberate choice. A laboratory report published on a website corresponds to a sample taken on one particular day, from one particular lot, and says nothing about the material that will arrive at your plant. We would rather you validated ours with your own testing, on the real material of your order, before any commercial commitment.
Ask us for a sample, stating the application, the estimated volume and the requirements you have to meet. We arrange the shipment and, if your process calls for it, the analysis corresponding to the batch.
FREQUENTLY ASKED
What projects
ask us.
Is it suitable for a landfill liner?
It is one of the applications we receive enquiries for. Suitability depends on the site soil, the liquid to be contained and the hydraulic conductivity required by the tender. Those values are determined by testing the soil-bentonite mix at the planned dosage, not the mineral on its own.
What dosage is used?
It is set by testing, according to the particle size and plasticity of the site soil. A clean sandy soil requires a higher proportion than one with fines. We do not publish a generic dosage because it would change from project to project.
Is it a sodium bentonite?
It is a natural bentonite from our own deposits in Neuquén. Suitability for a given project is not settled by a commercial label: it is settled by testing the soil-bentonite mix at the planned dosage. We send a sample so the project laboratory can verify it.
How do I request a sample?
Tell us the type of project, the location, the estimated volume and the specification if one exists. With that we prepare the sample and the technical documentation available.
Do you own the deposits?
Yes. Andacollo S.A. works its own deposits in Neuquén, awarded by discovery under the Argentine mining regime, and milling and packing are carried out at our plant in the Zapala Industrial Park. The material passes through no intermediary: continuity of quality and of supply depends on us, not on a third party.
Do you have an analysis of the material?
We send samples to anyone who requests them, and the analysis is carried out on the batch that will be delivered. We do not publish a generic report because it would correspond to a sample from another day and another lot: the figure that lets you decide is the one from your own batch.
HOW WE WORK
From your need
to a concrete proposal.
We talk
Type of project, location, volume and specification.
We assess
We select material and grind alternatives.
You validate
We arrange samples for the project's testing.
We agree
Commercial terms and delivery schedule.
Tell us the location, the estimated volume and the specification you have to meet. We prepare the sample and the documentation available for the project laboratory.
Request a sample ↗OTHER APPLICATIONS
One mineral,
different needs.
Bentonite for cat litter · Bentonite for water wells · Bentonite for earthing