API-tested drilling grade
Our Section 12 salt gel is tested against API 13A requirements in an NABL-accredited laboratory, with results reported on every batch CoA.
Industrial Mineral
Attapulgite Clay — Manufacturer & Exporter from India
Needle-structured palygorskite clay for salt water drilling muds, catalyst binding, feed manufacture and agrochemical carriers, produced in Gujarat and tested batch by batch.
PowderGranulesActivated GradeAPI-grade
ISO 9001 certified processes
NABL-accredited lab testing
CoA, TDS & MSDS with every shipment
Export packaging worldwide
Overview
What is Attapulgite?
Attapulgite clay, also known as palygorskite, is a hydrated magnesium aluminium silicate with a chain-layer crystal structure. Instead of the flat platelets found in bentonite, it forms fine needles and rods, typically a few micrometres long. That shape gives attapulgite its working properties: high surface area, strong sorption of liquids, and the ability to build viscosity through a mechanical network rather than by swelling.
Because the network does not rely on water entering between clay layers, attapulgite keeps its thickening power in salt water, hard water and many electrolyte-rich systems where swelling clays lose performance. It remains stable across a broad pH range, roughly 3 to 11, and holds and releases liquids in a controlled way. These traits explain its use as a salt water gel in oil and gas drilling, as a binder for catalysts and molecular sieves, as a pellet binder and flow aid in feed, and as a carrier for crop protection formulations.
Processing determines how well the needles perform. Ore is mined selectively and blended for consistent mineralogy, then dried under controlled conditions so the structure is not damaged by excessive heat. It is milled and air classified to the fineness each application needs, or granulated and screened into carrier mesh sizes. Overgrinding breaks the needles and reduces yield, so mill settings are matched to the grade.
Obsidian Minerals manufactures attapulgite in Gujarat under ISO 9001 certified processes. Every batch is tested in an NABL-accredited laboratory and shipped with a Certificate of Analysis, Technical Data Sheet and MSDS/SDS. We supply four standard grades and develop custom particle sizes with customers. Packaging ranges from 25 kg and 50 kg bags to 1 MT and 1.2 MT jumbo bags, with samples available on request.
Attapulgite grades
Select a grade for its typical properties, applications, usage guidance and FAQs.
Attapulgite
API 13A Sec. 12 Salt Gel
Salt water gel that builds viscosity and suspension in seawater and saturated brine, tested batch by batch against API 13A Section 12.
Oil & Gas Drilling AttapulgiteCatalyst Binder Grade
Fine, low-grit attapulgite that gives extrudates, beads and pellets their green strength and a porous, durable matrix after calcination.
Industrial Catalysis AttapulgiteAnimal Feed Grade
Finely milled attapulgite used by feed manufacturers to bind pellets, keep premixes free-flowing and suspend solids in liquid supplements.
Animal Nutrition AttapulgitePesticide Carrier Grade
Sorptive attapulgite granules and powders that load liquid actives, resist dusting and help formulators produce uniform crop protection products.
Agriculture| Grade | Specification | Primary use | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| API 13A Section 12 Attapulgite | On TDS | Oil & Gas Drilling | Specs |
| Attapulgite Catalyst Binder Grade | On TDS | Industrial Catalysis | Specs |
| Attapulgite Animal Feed Grade | On TDS | Animal Nutrition | Specs |
| Attapulgite Pesticide Carrier Grade | On TDS | Agriculture | Specs |
From deposit to dispatch
- 01
Selective mining and ore blending
- 02
Controlled low-temperature drying
- 03
Milling and air classification to grade fineness
- 04
Granulation and screening for carrier grades
- 05
Laboratory testing, QC and packing
Why source Attapulgite from Obsidian Minerals
Gujarat manufacturing
Attapulgite is processed at our Gujarat facilities within a network of 5+ manufacturing sites and 25,000+ MTPA capacity, serving buyers in 15+ countries.
Grades built around your process
Beyond four standard grades, we develop custom fineness, granule sizes and private-label packaging with customers, starting from samples supplied on request.
Where Attapulgite is used
Attapulgite — frequently asked questions
What is attapulgite clay?
Attapulgite clay is a natural magnesium aluminium silicate, also called palygorskite, made of microscopic needle-shaped crystals. The needles create high surface area and form a mechanical gel when dispersed under shear. Industry uses it as a thickener, suspending agent, binder and sorbent, most notably as salt water gel for drilling fluids, where it builds viscosity in brine that would prevent bentonite from swelling.
What is the difference between attapulgite and bentonite?
Bentonite is a platy smectite clay that thickens water by swelling, which works well in fresh water but is suppressed by salt. Attapulgite has a needle structure and thickens by forming an interlocking lattice, so it performs in seawater and saturated brine. Bentonite also gives filtration control, while attapulgite contributes mainly viscosity and suspension, which is why the two are often used for different mud systems.
Which attapulgite grades do you supply?
We supply four standard grades: API 13A Section 12 attapulgite for salt water drilling fluids, a catalyst binder grade for extruded and beaded catalysts and adsorbents, an animal feed grade used as a pellet binder and flow aid, and a pesticide carrier grade in powder and granular forms. Custom particle sizes and activated variants can be developed against your specification.
Is attapulgite the same as palygorskite or Fuller's earth?
Attapulgite and palygorskite are two names for the same mineral; palygorskite is the formal mineralogical name. Fuller's earth is a broader commercial term for absorbent clays and can describe attapulgite, calcium bentonite or blends of both. When comparing offers, check the mineralogy and the test data rather than the trade name, since performance depends on the actual clay type.
What documents are supplied with an attapulgite shipment?
Each shipment is accompanied by a batch Certificate of Analysis issued from our NABL-accredited laboratory, the Technical Data Sheet and the MSDS/SDS. For the API 13A grade the CoA reports the Section 12 test results. If your tender or import process needs additional documentation, tell us at enquiry stage so we can confirm what can be provided.
How do I order attapulgite from Obsidian Minerals?
Send us the grade, quantity, packaging preference and destination country through the enquiry form or by email. We will confirm the specification, share the Technical Data Sheet and arrange samples on request. Standard packaging is 25 kg or 50 kg HDPE or paper bags and 1 MT or 1.2 MT jumbo bags, with private-label options available.
What packaging options are available for Attapulgite?
Standard export packing is 25 kg or 50 kg HDPE / paper bags and 1 MT or 1.2 MT jumbo (FIBC) bags, palletised and shrink-wrapped on request. Custom and private-label packaging can be arranged for volume orders.
Do you provide MSDS and technical datasheets?
Yes. A Technical Data Sheet and MSDS are available for every grade, and each shipment is accompanied by a batch-specific Certificate of Analysis.
Request a quote
Interested in Attapulgite?
Tell us your application, preferred grade and volume. Our engineering team will recommend the right grade and send a datasheet, sample and quotation.
- Technical Data Sheet & MSDS
- Samples for qualification trials
- Bulk and recurring supply pricing