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Clays
- Colours
of
the
Rainbow Galina
St George
There is a huge variety of clays found
in nature. They all differ in composition and therefore colours, and all find their uses.
I have collected information about clays of various colours - truly colours of the Rainbow.
The Science of Clay Here is what the on-line encyclopaedia Wikipedia says about clay: “Clay minerals are hydrous aluminium phyllosilicates, sometimes with variable amounts of iron, magnesium, alkali metals, alkaline earths and other cations. Clays have structures similar to the micas and therefore form flat hexagonal sheets. Clay minerals are common weathering products and low temperature hydrothermal alteration products. Clay minerals are very common in fine grained sedimentary rocks such as shale, mudstone and siltstone and in fine grained metamorphic slate and phyllite. Clay minerals include the following groups:
Structure Like all phyllosilicates, clay minerals are characterised by two-dimensional sheets of corner sharing SiO4 and AlO4 tetrahedra. Each tetrahedron shares 3 of its vertex oxygen atoms with other tetrahedra. The fourth vertex is not shared with another tetrahedron and all of the tetrahedra "point" in the same direction (i.e. all of the unshared vertices are on the same side of the sheet). These tetrahedral sheets have the chemical composition (Al,Si)3O4. In clays the tetrahedral sheets are always bonded to octahedral sheets formed from small cations, such as aluminium or magnesium, coordinated by six oxygen atoms. The unshared vertex from the tetrahedral sheet also form part of one side of the octahedral sheet but an additional oxygen atom is located above the gap in the tetrahedral sheet at the center of the six tetrahedra. This oxygen atom is bonded to a hydrogen atom forming an OH group in the clay structure. Clays can be categorised depending on the way that tetrahedral and octahedral sheets are packaged into layers. If there is only one tetrahedral and one octahedral group in each layer the clay is known as a 1:1 clay. The alternative, known as a 2:1 clay, has two tetrahedral sheets with the unshared vertex of each sheet pointing towards each other and forming each side of the octahedral sheet. Depending on the composition of the tetrahedral and octahedral sheets, the layer will have no charge, or will have a net negative charge. If the layers are charged this charge is balanced by interlayer cations such as Na+ or K+. In each case the interlayer can also contain water. The crystal structure is formed from a stack of layers interspaced with the interlayers”. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clay_minerals Cosmetic
Clays Clays have been used both in cosmetics and as a valuable health aid for thousands of years. In cosmetics, they works as a powerful exfoliator and cleanser, invigorating the skin, making it look young, fresh and glowing. It absorbs excess oil, dirt and toxic matter from the skin. Cosmetic clays have different mineral content and therefore works differently on the skin. For this reason, some clays are more suitable for certain skin types than others. Cosmetic clays are widely used in facials, powders, soap making, as a natural colorant, in body lotions, creams, etc. For Cosmetic Clay Recipes read here.... Medicinal Clays People have been using clays for medicinal purposes for thousands of years - to prevent poisoning, treat sores, bruises, ulcers, skin problems, as a food substitute in times of famine, to treat diarrhoea, indigestion, aching muscles and joints, help with toothache and mouth ulcers, to get rid of parasites, etc.
Due to their absorption/adsorption properties, clays are a powerful detoxifying remedy, working on the body both from the inside and outside. They absorb toxic waste and deliver important minerals through the skin, as well as through internal consumption. This has been used by natural healers all over the globe to treat a variety of ailments - from minor to serious ones. Most clays can be taken internally. Some are more popular for this purpose than others. Both people and animals have been eating clays since pre-historic times, for a variety of reasons. Clays are a natural source of minerals - they contain most elements that our bodies need. These minerals are utilised by the body through ionic exchange - simply speaking, when it is hydrated, clay particles become negatively charged, attracting the positively charged ions of the toxic waste and excreting them. Due to its ionic exchange properties, clay also delivers the minerals that the body needs, in required quantities.
“Clay has a direct action and acts as a catalyst in the human body. In either case, the clay always harnesses the body's own natural resources. Clay action is never independent of the body being treated. Therefore, when using healing clays, always remember that it is the entire body that need to be considered, with special attention to any local systems at the treatment site”. http://www.eytonsearth.org/using-clay-externally.php (This is one of the best non-commercial websites on medicinal uses of clays).
The
Smectite Group
Smectite is characterized by its
expandable properties. Unlike the other clays, only smectite can
absorb toxins. This qualifies its structural uniqueness and sets it
apart from all other clays. For this reason, smectite has become a
favorite clay for industrial and dietary use.
The most familiar species of smectite is montmorillonite. Again, it is
the most preferred species of edible clay. Most clay research has
been done with montmorillonite.
What makes montmorillonite so special?
The montmorillonite minerals occur in very small micron sized particles.
They are extremely fine-grained and thin-layered, more than any of
the other clay minerals. The layers contain ions that are very
loosely bound to one another and easily exchangeable. Not only will
the toxins stick to its outside surface, but numerous elements and
organic matter will enter the space between the layers.
In
addition to its already unique structure, montmorillonite has a
particularly large surface area when properly hydrated in water,
which further boosts its adsorptive and absorptive properties.
Chemically and structurally, it is shaped like a credit card, with
negative charges on the flat surface and positive charges on the
edges. Therefore, the negative charge (the good one) is many times
more powerful that the positive charge. Montmorillonite is a more
complicated clay and has a higher exchange capacity than the simpler
species of clay, such as kaolinite. Its ability to adsorb and absorb
toxins is greater than that of the clays in the other groups.
According
to one article on clay (Lei 1996), a mineralogist at Massachusetts
Institute of Technology, Robert T. Marin, stated that one gram of
this clay has a surface area of 800 square meters. To give that some
serious perspective, that's about ten football fields! The greater
the surface area of the clay, the greater the power to pick up the
positively charged particles or toxins many times its own weight.
Any
given clay is usually a mixture of clay minerals, one or two minerals
almost always being predominant. Clays are rarely found separately
and are usually mixed not only with other clays but with microscopic
crystals of quartz, mica, feldspar, and carbonates. Most clay
contains montmorillonite to a greater or lesser degree. The available
types of montmorillonite vary in color, consistency, and shape. The
color may be white, gray, or tan, with tints of yellow or green.
Typically, montmorillonite will be included in a mixture of clay
groups in any given material; all six groups will most likely contain
particles of montmorillonite. Sources of montmorillonite include the
United States, Italy, China and France”.
http://www.calearthminerals.com/claytypes.htm
Montmorillonite - what is is? Montmorillonite is a very soft phyllosilicate
mineral that typically forms in microscopic crystals,
forming a clay.
Montmorillonite, a member of the smectite family, is a 2:1 clay,
meaning that it has 2 tetrahedral sheets sandwiching a central
octahedral sheet. The particles are plate-shaped with an average
diameter of approximately 1 micrometre. The particle thickness is
extremely small (~ 1 nm). It
is the main constituent of the volcanic
ash weathering
product, bentonite.
Montmorillonite's water
content is variable and it increases greatly in volume when it
absorbs water. Chemically it is hydrated sodium calcium aluminium
magnesium silicate hydroxide (Na,Ca)x(Al,Mg)2(Si4O10)(OH)2·nH2O.
Potassium, iron, and other cations are common substitutes, the exact
ratio of cations varies with source. It is used in the oil drilling industry as a component of drilling
mud, making the water slurry viscous
which helps in keeping the drill head cool and removing drill debris.
It is also used as a soil
additive to hold soil water in drought prone soils, to the
construction of earthen dams and levees
and to prevent the leakage of fluids. It is also used as a component
of foundry sand
and as a desiccant
to remove moisture
from air and gases. Similar to other clays, montmorillonite swells with the addition
of water. However, some montmorillonites expand considerably more
than other clays due to water penetrating the interlayer molecular
spaces and concomitant adsorption. The amount of expansion is due
largely to the type of exchangeable cation contained in the sample.
The presence of sodium as the predominant exchangeable cation can
result in the clay swelling to several times its original volume.
Hence, sodium montmorillonite has come to be used as the major
constituent in non-explosive agents for splitting rock in natural
stone quarries in order to limit the amount of waste, or for the
demolition of concrete structures where the use of explosive charges
is unacceptable. Montmorillonite has been used in cosmetics
and has reputed therapeutic effects. Indeed over 200 cultures have
used the clay for medicinal purposes including the Ancient
Egyptians, the Essenes
and the pre-Aztec
Amargosians,
and other natives of Mexico,
South America
and North
America. Montmorillonite is also used in animal feeds as an anti-caking
agent. Current research indicates that montmorillonite or bentonite
has the ability to bind
mycotoxins in
the digestive system of animals as well as several bacteria
in-vitro. Montmorillonite was discovered in 1847 in Montmorillon
in the Vienne
prefecture of France,
but is found in many locations world wide and known by other names.
Other modern discoveries include about 1830 by the French-Canadian
fur trapper Emile
Pascal atop the 8600 feet high Big
Horn Mountains in Wyoming,
USA and as bentonite
in about 1890 and named by an American geologist for the one time
Fort Benton
(on the Fort
Benton Formation geological stratum)
in the eastern Wyoming Rock
Creek area. Native
Americans have referred to the therapeutic clay as Ee-Wah-Kee. Text
& Image Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montmorillonite As a mineral specimen, montmorillonite does not get much
consideration.
Usually, pure samples of montmorillonite are massive, dull and not very
attractive. However, as with all minerals, there are those exceptional
specimens that defy the norm.
Montmorillonite has been found as attractive pink inclusions in quartz
crystals, and these make for interesting specimens.
Blue
Cambrian Montmorillonite Clay
Blue
clay - member of the Smectite Group - is considered to be the most
potent of all medicinal clays - more so than the French Green
Montmorillonite clay. Montmorillonite clays are being mined in
various parts of the world. Like with all minerals, the quality and
composition of the deposit will vary greatly. Blue clay contains a
number of minerals in their natural colloidal form which are used by
the body to produce enzymes and as for many other bodily functions.
Blue clay is a rich source of trace minerals, with the highest
ability ot adsorb/absorb, so it is one of the most popular bulking
agents in the beauty industry. Being most potent, it has the most
powerful detoxifying properties of all clays. Blue and Red
Montmorillonite clays have similar properties and benefits. It is
very effective at drawing oils and toxins from the skin and is best
suited for oily skin and hair. It is also excellent for dealing with
acne. It is not advisable for use by people with sensitive or dry
skin, since it has a very drying effect. Blue clay can also be used
in soaps and in body and foot powders as a natural color additive.
Externally, blue clay is used in the making of masks, body wraps,
baths, compresses, poultices, creams, lotions, etc. Red
Montmorillonite Clay Red Montmorillonite is a close relative of Blue Montmorillonite
and is highly efficient at drawing oils and toxins from the skin. For
external use: this montmorillonite clay is good for use on the skin,
over the site of sore muscles, sprains, and aches. In the cosmetic idustry,
it used in soaps and in body/foot powders as a natural color
additive. Because of its drying effect, it is not recommended for use
on the skin more than once a week or by the people with sensitive/dry
skins. This is also a very polular clay in natural medicine for its
detoxifying qualities. It is good for baths, compresses, face masks,
body wraps, as a natural colouring agent, etc. Bentonite
(Montmorillonite) Clay
Bentonite
Clay owes its name to a place called Fort Benton in the USA where it
was first found. It was formed by the alteration of volcanic glass to
clay minerals which are less than .005mm in size. It consists of
hydrous aluminum silicates plus iron oxide and magnesium oxide, with
either sodium or calcium oxides. It can absorb 40 - 50 times its
weight and swell to form gel-like masses. Bentonite clay is a combination of
montmorillonite and volcanic ash. It is a highly absorbent clay that
pulls oils and toxins from the skin and is one of the best clays for
making clay poultices. It is best suited for oily skin. Bentonite is
also a good clay for use as an oily hair and scalp treatment. Medicinally, it is one of the most
effective natural intestinal detoxifying natural substances
available, and therefore it is one of the most popular clays for this
purpose. Image reference:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/9b/ImgBentonite.jpg Calcium
Montmorillonite (Fullers Earth) Calcium
Montmorillonite or Fullers Earth, is a natural, mineral clay type
substance with the property of absorbing basic colors and removing
them from oils. It is composed mainly of aluminium, silica, iron
oxides, lime, magnesium, and water, in extremely variable
proportions, and is generally classified as a sedimentary clay. In
color it may be whitish, buff, brown, green, olive, or blue. Fullers
earth was originally used in the fulling of wool to remove oil and
grease but is now used in refining edible oils. It is also a useful
base ingredient for facial clay recipes and adds a nice finishing
touch to clay products promising to aid its user with their battle
against oily skin. Add a tablespoon of fullers earth to your
favourite cold process soap recipe for a bar of soap that eliminates
hard to remove dirt and grease. Image reference:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Gay_head_cliffs_MV.JPG Glacier
Clay Glacier clay is a rare type of clay and is found in
British Columbia. It contains over 30 minerals and trace elements
particle size less than .15 microns in size, making it the finest
glacial marine clay yet discovered in the world. It has a natural pH
balance of 6.5 to 7.3. It is easy to apply and remove. It stimulates
the circulation, detoxifies, exfoliates dead skin cells while and
smothes down wrinkles, leaving the skin soft, smooth and invigorated.
It produces erythema (local skin warmin),
accelerates physiological processes and increases cell regeneration
in surrounding tissues, improving skin elasticity and overall
complexion. It is an excellent choice for ageing skin due to its soft
but stimulating and rejuvenating effect. Green
Clays - Illite and Montmorillonite - What is the Difference?
Green Clays consist of curative volcanic ashes which are
found near ancient volcanoes, 20-50 meters below the ground surface.
Therefore, they contain only natural material treated mechanically,
without any chemical additives. They are very rich in magnesium and
trace elements. They detoxify, restore mineral balance and act as an
absorbent.
There
are
two types of Green clay used - Montmorillonite and Illite.
Green clays consist of curative volcanic ashes which are found near ancient volcanoes, 20-50 meters below the ground surface. It contains only natural material treated mechanically, without any chemical additives.
They are rich in magnesium and trace elements, as well as organic plant matter which alongside iron oxide determines its soft green colour (illite has a lighter hue of green than montmorillonite). They detoxify, restore mineral balance and act as an absorbents. There are two types of Green clay used in natural medicine - Montmorillonite and Illite.
Montmorillonite is part of the smectite group of clays and is named after a French region Montmorillon where it was first discovered, and Illite, named after the state Illinois, USA, where it was first found in 1937. Both clays take
equally important places in the restoration and maintenance of health. However, as mentioned earlier, there are certain differences:
Following information has been offered to me by the manufacturer.
Illite is found in certain regions in the North of France and in the Atlantic basin. Montmorillonite is found mainly in the South of France.
Illite is is a non-swelling highly absorbent clay (30% - it absorbs 30% of water), and has a relatively low remineralisation power (12%). It is used in cases where detoxification and decongestion is important. Illite contains less magnesium than Montmorillonite.
The active minerals in illite include calcium, silicium, several important mineral oxides, magnesium, potassium, dolomite, silicium, manganese, phosporous, copper, and selenium, as well a relatively small percentage of montmorillonite.
Montmorillonite of the South of France enjoys the sun 260 days per year. It lies in the Mediterranean basin and is rich in magnesium. Its sorptive properties are less than those of the Illite (it absorbs 20% of water), but its remineralisation properties are very high -
70%.
Cationic (ionic) exchange rate, alongside their sorptive properties, is one of the most important factors of clays. In fact, each type of clay exchanges mineral elements with the environment they are in and has a certian coefficient of absorption which varies from one clay to another.
Montmorillonite has 60-70 Meq/g catioinic exchange rate, while Ilite
has around 12 Meq/g, . This fundamental property is used in natural treatments to neutralise toxins, poisons, as well as to bring to the body the minerlas it needs to stay healthy. Magnesium plays a particularly important role in health maintenance taking part in about 350 reactions in the body, and is part
of the ATP (the energy molecule). Without sufficient magnesium we develop all sorts of problems. Green mopntmorillonite clay is high in magnesium.
CATIONIC/ IONIC EXCHANGE RATES FOR ALL THE FRENCH CLAYS sold by Natural Russia:
Green montmorillonite: +/- 70 meq / 100g
Both Illte and Montmorillonite clays absorb water. However, the Montmorillonite clay is called 'the swelling' type, while illite clays are called 'non-swelling'. I have been wondering - why? They both absorb water, so both should be referred to as 'swelling' clays. I have asked the manufacturer to explain the difference.
The reply I received was something I could not find anywhere. Apparently, the illite clays have a highly poprous crystal structure, so the water gets inside the crystals, which makes the clays so absorbent. With montmorillonites, on the other hand, the water gets between the flat layers in the clay particles, which causes the
layers to move apart, causing the 'swelling' effect. Both the Green Montmorillonite and the Green Illite can absorb a large amount of water. For the other Illite clays and the Kaolinite the absorption rate is lower.
French Green Montmorillonite Clay It is rich in important minerals and
phyto-nutrients and is the most commonly used therapeutic clay. Good
choice for face masks, body wraps, compresses, baths, poultices. It
is also excellent for intestinal cleansing programmes.
French Green Montmorillonite is a swelling clay taking in water in 1:1 rate. This means that its crystalline structure can shift outwards when hydrated with water, increasing its active surface. So the clay creates spaces for water bewtween its layers. Recent research indicates that French Green clay has the ability to bind mycotoxins in the digestive system of animals as well as several bacteria in-vitro. "In experiments, the clay killed up to 99 per cent of superbug colonies within 24 hours. Control samples of MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) grew 45-fold in the same period. The clay has a similar effect on other deadly bacteria tested, including salmonella, E. coli, and a flesh-eating disease called buruli, a relative of leprosy which disfigures children across central and western Africa. It has been classed as "an emerging public health threat" by the World Health Organization (WHO)." The effectiveness of the French green clays, which are mostly made of minerals called smectite and illite, was first demonstrated by Line Brunet de Courssou, a French doctor fighting buruli at clinics in Ivory Coast and Guinea." The Independent, 28 October 2007. A German scientist once described the bactericidal properties of clay: "The curative properties of clay are founded in its special physical characteristics, above all in the distribution of its minute particles. Individual clay particles are smaller than many bacteria. If infected mucous membranes are more or less flooded with clay, the bacteria are completely surrounded by clay particles and are thus separated from their source of nourishment and become imbedded in the inorganic material. Growth and the survivability of the bacteria are thus halted almost instantaneously, and from this explained strikingly speedy abatement of the symptoms of infection and/or symptoms of poisoning in acute infectious diseases of the alimentary canal." Julius Stumpf, Bolus fur medizinische Anwenduno Darmstadt, 1916, p. 19. French Green Montmorillonite Clay is closely related to Bentonite clay - they belong to the same group of smectite clays. The clay on our site is very rich in magnesium, as well as iron, manganese, calcium, silica and and other macro and micro nutrients, helping the body reminerilisation. It activates blood circualtion, regeneration of cells/tissues, promoting healing of ulcers, helping bind and take out of the body harmful free radicals. Due to its high ionic exchange capacity, French Green Montmorillonite clay is a superb detoxification product. Its detoxifying properties are explained by 2 main factors:
French Green Montmorillonite clay is like a sponge, attracting water and toxins not only to its negatively charged surface, but also inside its numerous canals, 'trapping' them there via ionic exchange process. The body gets the 'good' mineral from the clay in return.
It is difficult to list all the wonderful benefits of these clays - not only because clays' properties have not been researched as wel as they deserve, but also due to the fact that there is no condition on Earth which cannot be helped with clay in some way, so I will list benefits of clay use according to a method of use - internal (drinking) and external.
I do not distinguish between the montmorillonite and illite clays here - they both work as detoxifyiers and natural suppliers of minerals, albeit on a somwhat different basis.
Rhassoul Clay Rhassoul clay is part of the smectite, or swelling, group of clay minerals. It is a rare and luxurious type of clay. It is mineral rich, reddish/brown ancient clay which comes from the Atlas Mountains of Morocco and has been traditionally used in Morocco and in Egypt as a soap, shampoo and skin conditioner. Rhassoul clay is truly exquisite and is different from other clays due to its unique composition, excellent ability to adsorb oils and impurities. It is very high in trace elements such as silica, magnesium, iron, calcium, potassium and sodium. Because of the high mineral content, astringent properties, and absorption properties, Rhassoul clay is a wonderful and effective clay for cleansing, detoxification, and for general skin care treatments. It has been shown to improve skin elasticity, clear clogged pores, remove dead skin, excessive oil from skin, stimulate circulation, nourish and hydrate the skin. Rhassoul clay can be used in soap-making, facial masks, body wraps, clay packs, shampoos, and conditioners. It is used by the best spas around the world and is highly regarded in the beauty industry. Suitable for normal and oily skin. Not recommended for dry/sensitive skin.
The
Illite Group The illite group is named for the state of Illinois. Illite is a non-expanding mineral. The chemical formula: (K,H3O)(Al,Mg,Fe)2(Si,Al)4O10[(OH)2,(H2O). Illite is a phyllosilicate or layered silicate. The best-known species of illite is glauconite, a green mineral clay. It is typically found in clays of marine origin. Other colors include white and yellow. Unlike the Smectite Group, the Illite Group clays do not expand when hydrated. “Illite is a non-expanding, clay-sized, micaceous mineral. Illite is a phyllosilicate or layered silicate. Structurally illite is quite similar to muscovite or sericite with slightly more silicon, magnesium, iron, and water and slightly less tetrahedral aluminium and interlayer potassium. The chemical formula is given as (K,H3O)(Al,Mg,Fe)2(Si,Al)4O10[(OH)2,(H2O)][1], but there is considerable ion substitution. It occurs as aggregates of small monoclinic grey to white crystals. Due to the small size, positive identification usually requires x-ray diffraction analysis. Illite occurs as an alteration product of muscovite and feldspar in weathering and hydrothermal environments. It is common is sediments, soils, and argillaceous sedimentary rocks as well as in some low grade metamorphic rocks. Glauconite in sediments can be differentiated by x-ray analysis. Illite was first described for occurrences in the Maquoketa shale in Calhoun County, Illinois, USA, in 1937. The name was derived from its type location in Illinois. Illite is also called hydromica or hydromuscovite. Brammallite is a sodium rich analogue”. Text
and image reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illite
French Green Illite Clay Unlike French Green Montmorillonite, French Green Illite is a non-swelling clay. It is sometimes called 'marine clay' due to the quarries being found in the ancient marine beds. This gives Illite a very rich mineral content. It has a better absorption ability than the Montmorillonite - 30% against Maontmorillonite's 20%. Its sorptive properties give it a very powerful drying and detoxifying effect. With its very high sorption capacity, illite acts like a magnet for toxins, so it is the greatest detoxifying remedy available in nature. Recent research indicates that French Green clays have an ability to bind mycotoxins in the digestive system of animals as well as several bacteria in-vitro. "In experiments, the clay killed up to 99 per cent of superbug colonies within 24 hours. Control samples of MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) grew 45-fold in the same period. The clay has a similar effect on other deadly bacteria tested, including salmonella, E. coli, and a flesh-eating disease called buruli, a relative of leprosy which disfigures children across central and western Africa. It has been classed as "an emerging public health threat" by the World Health Organization (WHO)." The effectiveness of the French green clays, which are mostly made of minerals called smectite and illite, was first demonstrated by Line Brunet de Courssou, a French doctor fighting buruli at clinics in Ivory Coast and Guinea." The Independent, 28 October 2007. A German scientist once described the bactericidal properties of clay: "The curative properties of clay are founded in its special physical characteristics, above all in the distribution of its minute particles. Individual clay particles are smaller than many bacteria. If infected mucous membranes are more or less flooded with clay, the bacteria are completely surrounded by clay particles and are thus separated from their source of nourishment and become imbedded in the inorganic material. Growth and the survivability of the bacteria are thus halted almost instantaneously, and from this explained strikingly speedy abatement of the symptoms of infection and/or symptoms of poisoning in acute infectious diseases of the alimentary canal." Julius Stumpf, Bolus fur medizinische Anwenduno Darmstadt, 1916, p. 19. Green Illite clay is a superb detoxification product. Its detoxifying properties are explained by 2 main factors:
French Green Illite clay is like a sponge, attracting water and toxins not only to its negatively charged surface, but also inside the numerous canals in its crystalline structure. It is difficult to list all the wonderful benefits of French clays - not only because their properties have not been researched as wel as they deserve, but also due to the fact that there is no condition on Earth which cannot be helped with clay in some way, so I will list benefits of clays according to a method of use - internal (drinking) and external. Both clays have similar properties, with one clay detoxifying the body due to its higher sorption capacity (illite), and the other due to its ability to expand and attract negatively charged ions (montmorillonite, altough illite has this ability too, on a smaller scale). Green Illite is favoured by health practitioners worldwide. Jason Eyton speaks highly of French Illite as one of his favourite clays (www.eytonsearth.org).
The Green clays contain such elements as silica, magnesium, calcium, iron,
potassium, cobalt, manganese, zinc, selenium, copper, aluminium,
phosphorous, sodium, as well as others.
French Yellow Illite Clay Yellow Illite clay has a soft yellow colour and velvety texture. It is very similar to Green Illite in its therapeutic and cosmetic properties and uses. Its colour is due to a high level of iron oxide. Illite is found in certain regions in the North of France and in the Atlantic basin, in the areas abundant in red clays. It is a highly absorbent clay (30% - it absorbs 30% of water), and has a relatively low remineralisation power (8%). It is used in cases where detoxification and decongestion is important. Illite contains less magnesium than Montmorillonite. The active minerals in illite include calcium, silicium, several essential mineral oxides, magnesium, potassium, silicium, manganese, phosporous, copper, and selenium, as well a relatively small percentage of montmorillonite. The cationic/ionic exchange rate for the French Illite sold by NR is 32 meq/100g, which is almost 3 times as high as French Green Illite.
French Red Illite Clay Red Illite Clay is similar in properties to Green and other Illite clays. Its main property is high sorptive capacity which makes it very useful for removing toxins. The only difference is its colouring which is explained by a higher presence of iron oxide. Illite is found in certain regions in the North of France (in our case it is Provence) and in the Atlantic basin. French Red Illite is a non-swelling clay. It has a very rich mineral content, so is excellent for remineralisation of the body. It has a sorption ability of 30% against Maontmorillonite's 20%. Its sorptive properties give it a very powerful drying and detoxifying effect. Illite acts like a magnet for toxins, so it is the greatest detoxifying remedy available in nature. Red Illite is used mainly in the beauty industry and cosmetics production, for its tonifying, humidifying effect on the skin. It revives pale, sallow, ageing skin. It also purifies congested, acne-prone skin types. It improves bolood ciruclation and makes the skin look radiant, hydrated, reducing the appearance of wrinkles and also broken capillaries. The cationic exchange rate for the French Red Illite Clay offered on this site is 32 meq/100g.
French Pink Illite Clay The clay is very rich in minerals, so the skin gets remineralised in the process. The cationic exchange rate of the French Pink clay sold by NR is 26 meq/100g.
The
Kaolinite Group
“The word kaolin is derived from the name of the Chinese
town Kao-Ling (or Gaoling, "high ridge"), located in the
Jiangxi Province of southeast China, where the written description of
porcelain can be found. The word kaolin is now used as a loose
trade and
geologic term to refer to white clayey rock that is predominantly
composed of Kaolin Group (khandite) minerals. The most common
constituent is the mineral kaolinite. Kaolinite is a layered silocate
made of alternating sheets of octahedrally coordinated aluminum and
tetrahedrally coordinated silicon that are bonded by hydroxyl groups.
Kaolinite is represented by the chemical formula Al2Si2O5(OH)4, and
it most often occurs as clay-sized, platelike, hexagonally shaped
crystals”. http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-1178 While
kaolin adsorbs toxins and bacteria like the other clays, it acts
mainly as a bulking agent and in anti-diarrhoeal medications.
Sometimes kaolin is added to food supplement due to its mineral
content. The Kaolinite Group
includes clays of various chemical composition and therefore varying
in colour.
White
Kaolin Clay
White
Kaolin Clay - most abundant mineral in the Kaolinite Group - is also
known as China Clay or White Cosmetic Clay. It owes its colour to the
high concentration of aluminium. It is the most used clay in
cosmetics. Due to its natural adsorbent properties, it is an
essential ingredient in the manufacturing of cosmetics - soaps,
scrubs, poultices, body and face powders, and masks. It is the
mildest of all the cosmetic clays and is also used as a fixative in
the perfume industry. Its action on the skin is very gentle, so it
can be used on most sensitive skins. It adsorbs impurities from the
skin without removing any natural oils. It helps stimulate
circulation in the skin while gently exfoliating and cleansing it.
Its adsorption effect is minimal, so it does not draw oils from the
skin and can therefore be used on dry and sensitive skin types.
Pink/Rose Kaolin Clay is a mix of red
and white kaolin clays, so the best properties of both clays can be
experienced at once. It has a mild, soothing, cleansing and
exfoliating action, and can be used on dry to normal skins. It is an
excellent choice for face masks, baths, creams lotions body products.
It is often used as a colourant in cosmetics. Pink kaolin is a gentle clay, making
it suitable for sensitive skin. It helps stimulate circulation to the
skin while gently exfoliating and cleansing it. Pink kaolin clay does
not draw oils from the skin (since kaolin clays do not absorb, only
adsorb), and can therefore be used on dry skin types. It can be used
in body powders to keep skin dry. Uses: Cosmetic/Medicinal. Suitable for dry, sensitive or normal
skin types Red
Kaolin Clay
Red Kaolin Clay - also known as
Moroccan red clay or Maroc clay - is rich in iron oxide (this gives
it the red colour), it is highly adsorbent and draws oils and toxins
from the skin. This is the clay to use for moist, oily skin types. It
can be used in the treatment of acne, spots, rashes, etc. Moroccan red clay is extracted from the Atlas Mountains in
Morocco. It is a strong cleansing clay which will draw excess oils
from the skin, stimulate circulation to the skin and act as a
powerful astringent for oily skin and hair. It is very popular in
spas around the world. Good for use in in face masks and body wraps. Most suitable for normal and oily skin/hair types. Not to be used
for dry/sensitive skin. Yellow
Kaolin Clay
Yellow Kaolin Clay is also a relatively
rare type of clay. It is mild and is traditionally used on sensitive
skin types. It stimulates blood circulation while gently exfoliating
and cleansing the skin. It also draws impurities out of the skin.
Being mild by nature, it will not remove natural oils, and can
therefore be used on most skin types. Like all coloured clays, it can
be used as a colourant in cosmetic products. Suitable for dry, sensitive and normal skin. Black
Clay |
