Attapulgite Clay for Industrial Filtration & Purification
Compare attapulgite clay filtration and purification media for oils, fuels and industrial process liquids. Understand particle size, treatment role, contact conditions and downstream filtration before selecting a clay for your process.
What Is Attapulgite Clay?
Attapulgite is a naturally occurring magnesium-aluminum silicate clay with a fibrous mineral structure and useful surface properties. Processed attapulgite grades are used in industrial liquid treatment as filtration and purification media where the clay can interact with selected impurities and subsequently be removed from or retained within the treatment system.
Performance depends on the specific clay grade, particle-size distribution, treatment configuration, contact conditions, process chemistry and filtration system. Mesh size is particularly important because it affects available surface, filtration behavior, pressure drop and how the media performs within a filter cake, cartridge or retained bed.
For jet-fuel-specific treatment guidance, see Attapulgite Clay for Jet Fuel Treatment & Clarification .
Where Attapulgite Fits in Liquid Processing
Attapulgite can serve different functions depending on the grade and process. Some grades are contacted with a process liquid and subsequently removed through filtration, while coarse granular media can also be used in compatible retained-bed and cartridge systems.
Purification & Impurity Reduction
Selected attapulgite grades can interact with impurities in oils, fuels and compatible process liquids through contact-treatment or retained-media configurations.
- Process-liquid purification
- Oil and hydrocarbon treatment
- Selected polar-impurity reduction
- Clarification in compatible treatment systems
Filter-Cake, Retained-Bed & Cartridge Use
Particle size and physical form determine how attapulgite functions within the treatment system. Finer grades may participate in filter-cake formation, while coarse granular grades can be retained within beds or cartridges.
- Pressure and vacuum filtration
- Retained-bed treatment systems
- Cartridge purification systems
- Downstream removal of spent treatment media
Compare Attapulgite Filtration & Purification Media
Sorbents Direct supplies industrial attapulgite products from established mineral producers. Product selection should be based on the required treatment function, particle-size distribution, physical form, process conditions and filtration equipment—not product name alone.
Attasorb® 16/30 LVM
Thermally activated granular attapulgite with good sorptivity and high particle strength. The coarse 16/30 mesh LVM grade is suited to compatible retained-bed, cartridge and industrial sorption systems.
- 16/30 mesh granular grade
- Retained-bed and cartridge applications
- Organic-liquid purification
- Selected polar-impurity reduction
Ultra-Clear®
Activated attapulgite purification and filtration media with historical manufacturer positioning in jet-fuel clarification and treatment of other compatible petroleum-based liquids.
- 8/16, 16/30, 30/60 and 60/90 grades
- Jet-fuel and petroleum treatment
- Retained-bed and contact-treatment options
- Commercial and production quantities
Microsorb®
Processed attapulgite clay for industrial filtration, purification and liquid-treatment applications where controlled mineral properties and particle-size distribution are important.
- 30/60 and 60/90 mesh options
- Oil and fluid filtration
- Process purification
- Manufacturer technical documentation
Comparing an existing attapulgite grade?
Send us the current product name, manufacturer, mesh size, physical form, quantity and application. We can compare available options using current manufacturer specifications and help identify a practical starting point for process validation.
Treating Jet Fuel with Attapulgite?
Jet-fuel treatment requires more than selecting a generic attapulgite grade. Particle size, media retention, contact method, pressure drop, filtration and the specific fuel-quality concern all influence the starting choice. Ultra-Clear is the primary Sorbents Direct attapulgite family positioned around this application.
See our Attapulgite Clay for Jet Fuel Treatment & Clarification guide for the application-specific Ultra-Clear particle-size comparison.
How Attapulgite Is Used in Liquid Treatment
The exact treatment configuration depends on the clay grade and process. In contact-treatment systems, the mineral is mixed or contacted with the process liquid and then physically removed through filtration. Coarse granular grades such as Attasorb® 16/30 LVM may instead be retained within compatible beds or cartridge systems.
Media Is Selected
Particle size, physical form and grade are matched to the treatment objective and equipment configuration.
Liquid Contacts the Media
Mixing, flow or passage through a retained bed brings the process liquid into contact with the attapulgite surface.
Treatment Occurs
Selected impurities can interact with the clay while operating conditions determine contact effectiveness, hydraulic behavior and throughput.
Spent Media Is Managed
Contact-treatment clay is removed through filtration, while retained granular media is replaced or removed according to process requirements and performance.
Attapulgite Treatment & Filtration Process
For contact-treatment applications, attapulgite performance is tied to both the treatment stage and the filtration stage. Dose and contact conditions influence the treatment step, while particle size, cake structure and filtration equipment influence how effectively the spent clay can be removed.
Typical Contact-Treatment Sequence
Process Liquid → Attapulgite Addition → Mixing / Contact → Impurity Interaction → Filter-Cake Formation → Solids Removal → Clarified Process Liquid
16/30 vs. 30/60 vs. 60/90 Mesh Attapulgite
Mesh size is an important process variable, but particle size should be considered together with the intended treatment system. Coarse granular grades can serve retained-bed and cartridge applications, while finer granular grades may fit contact-treatment and filtration processes. Finer is not automatically better.
16/30 Mesh
Coarse granular attapulgite provides a physical form suited to compatible systems where liquid passes through or contacts retained treatment media.
- Coarse granular particle distribution
- Retained-bed and cartridge applications
- Lower fine-particle carryover potential
- System design emphasizes retention and hydraulic performance
30/60 Mesh
The intermediate particle distribution can provide a practical balance between available media contact, filtration behavior, permeability and manageable flow resistance.
- Intermediate particle distribution
- Contact-treatment and filtration applications
- Balance of contact and permeability
- Common industrial filtration size range
60/90 Mesh
The finer particle distribution provides greater relative particle surface exposure but can require tighter filtration or retention and may create greater resistance to flow.
- Finer particle distribution
- Greater relative surface exposure
- Tighter downstream filtration requirements
- Greater pressure-drop potential
Do not select attapulgite by mesh size alone.
A coarse retained-bed application is fundamentally different from a process in which finer attapulgite is mixed directly with a liquid and subsequently removed through filtration. Start with the treatment configuration, then compare particle size, grade and operating conditions.
Attapulgite Particle Size & Treatment Configuration
Particle-size selection involves both treatment performance and how the media will physically operate within the process.
| Selection Factor | 16/30 Mesh | 30/60 Mesh | 60/90 Mesh |
|---|---|---|---|
| Particle Character | Coarse granular | Intermediate granular | Finer granular |
| Example Sorbents Direct Product | Attasorb® 16/30 LVM / Ultra-Clear® | Ultra-Clear® / Microsorb® | Ultra-Clear® / Microsorb® |
| Typical Process Configuration | Retained bed or cartridge | Contact treatment or compatible retained-media systems | Contact treatment and filtration |
| Relative Particle Surface Exposure | Lower | Intermediate | Higher |
| Filtration / Flow Character | Coarse retained granular behavior | Intermediate balance of contact and permeability | Greater potential filtration resistance |
| Typical Selection Emphasis | Bed integrity, particle strength and retained-media treatment | Balance of treatment contact, throughput and permeability | Greater media contact with tighter retention requirements |
| Final Selection | Confirm using the exact product grade, process liquid, equipment configuration and actual operating conditions. | ||
Filtration, Sorption & Purification Are Not the Same Thing
Attapulgite can play more than one role in a liquid-treatment process, but those roles should not be treated as interchangeable.
Filtration
Filtration physically separates suspended solids and spent treatment media from a liquid. Attapulgite particle size and cake structure can influence this separation step.
Sorption & Surface Interaction
Attapulgite surfaces can interact with compatible compounds during treatment. The degree and mechanism depend on the clay grade, process chemistry, target impurity and operating conditions.
Purification
Purification describes the overall process objective: improving the treated liquid by reducing unwanted solids or compatible impurities through one or more treatment mechanisms.
How to Select an Attapulgite Treatment Media
Start with the process objective and equipment configuration, then evaluate grade and particle size against actual operating conditions.
Treatment Objective
Define what improvement is required from the process: clarification, selected impurity reduction, polishing, filtration support or a combination of functions.
Process Configuration
Determine whether the media will be mixed directly with the liquid and filtered out or retained within a bed, cartridge or similar treatment system.
Process Liquid
Liquid chemistry, viscosity, temperature and solids loading influence both treatment behavior and downstream filtration.
Particle Size
Compare mesh grades based on the required balance between media contact, clarification, cake permeability, bed behavior and flow resistance.
Treatment Rate & Flow
More clay or a larger media bed does not automatically produce a better process. Dose, residence time and flow conditions all affect treatment performance and economics.
Process Validation
Use controlled trials to compare clarification, flow rate, pressure behavior, treatment effectiveness and media consumption before changing production conditions.
Where Attapulgite Treatment Media Is Used
Processed attapulgite has a long history in industrial liquid treatment where mineral surface properties, sorptivity and filtration behavior can support clarification and purification.
Oil Processing
Attapulgite can be used in compatible oil-treatment systems where purification is followed by filtration of spent clay or accomplished through retained granular media.
Explore Oil Purification →Jet Fuel & Petroleum Treatment
Selected activated attapulgite grades are used in compatible petroleum treatment systems where adsorptive purification, media retention and clarification are required.
Explore Jet Fuel Treatment →Retained-Bed Purification
Coarse granular attapulgite can be evaluated in compatible retained-media systems where process liquid passes through a bed of treatment media.
Cartridge Treatment
Granular grades such as Attasorb® 16/30 LVM can be used in compatible cartridge configurations where particle integrity and controlled flow through the media are important.
Industrial Liquid Clarification
Mineral media can contribute to solids removal and filter-cake formation in appropriately designed clarification systems.
Specialty Process Liquids
Other industrial liquids may benefit from attapulgite where manufacturer specifications and process testing establish compatibility and useful treatment performance.
Attapulgite Is One Part of the Oil-Treatment Media Landscape
Depending on the liquid and impurity profile, a process may call for attapulgite, bleaching earth, selective adsorbents, activated carbon, silica or filtration media rather than clay alone. See our Adsorbents for Oil Purification & Refining guide when comparing treatment-media families across a broader oil or petroleum process.
Attapulgite is not a universal purification media.
Performance depends on the specific mineral grade and target process. Activated carbon, bleaching earth, silica, diatomaceous earth or other treatment media may be more appropriate for particular impurities or filtration objectives. Use current manufacturer data and controlled process testing when qualifying media for a critical application.
Evaluate the Entire Treatment Cycle
The lowest media price per pound does not necessarily create the lowest treatment cost. Attapulgite economics depend on treatment rate, media format, throughput, filtration time, pressure behavior, liquid retained in spent media, replacement frequency, disposal requirements and final process performance.
Attapulgite Handling & Qualification
Use documentation for the exact supplied grade.
Mineral specifications can vary by deposit, processing method and product grade. Review the current SDS and technical documentation, minimize unnecessary airborne dust, use appropriate engineering controls and PPE, and keep material dry and protected from contamination. Lot-specific documentation should be used where required by the purchasing or qualification process.
Need Attapulgite for a Production Treatment Process?
Sorbents Direct supplies attapulgite filtration and purification media for commercial and industrial liquid-treatment systems. Tell us the process liquid, current clay or media, mesh size, treatment configuration, required quantity and destination—or send us an existing specification for comparison.
Attapulgite Products & Filtration Resources
Move from broad attapulgite selection into application-specific treatment guidance, individual products and related purification media.
Jet Fuel Treatment & Clarification
Compare Ultra-Clear particle sizes and treatment configurations for compatible jet-fuel clarification and petroleum purification systems.
Explore Jet Fuel Treatment →Ultra-Clear® Attapulgite
Review Oil-Dri Ultra-Clear in coarse through fine particle-size grades for compatible jet-fuel, petroleum and industrial liquid treatment.
View Ultra-Clear® →Attasorb® 16/30 LVM
Explore coarse granular, thermally activated attapulgite for retained-bed, cartridge, organic-liquid purification and industrial sorption applications.
View Attasorb® 16/30 LVM →Microsorb® Attapulgite
Explore Microsorb® attapulgite for industrial filtration, purification and process-liquid treatment.
View Microsorb® →Adsorbents for Oil Purification & Refining
Compare attapulgite with bleaching earth, selective adsorbents and other purification media used across oil and petroleum processing.
Explore Oil Purification →Clay & Clarification Media
Browse available attapulgite, bleaching clay and related industrial clay treatment products.
Browse Clay Products →Diatomaceous Earth Filter Aid
Compare DE filtration media where mechanical clarification, permeability and filter-cake structure are the primary objectives.
Explore DE Filter Aid →Bleaching Earth
Compare bleaching clays and selective adsorbents for edible oil and compatible process-refining applications.
Explore Bleaching Earth →Bulk Industrial Adsorbents & Filtration Media
Review Sorbents Direct commercial supply, grade matching, technical documentation and pallet-freight support.
Explore Bulk Supply →Attapulgite Filtration & Purification FAQ
What is attapulgite clay?
What is attapulgite used for in liquid treatment?
Is attapulgite clay used for jet fuel treatment?
Where does Attasorb® 16/30 LVM fit compared with finer attapulgite grades?
What is the difference between 16/30, 30/60 and 60/90 mesh attapulgite?
Is finer attapulgite always better?
Is attapulgite the same as bleaching earth?
Is attapulgite the same as diatomaceous earth?
How should I compare Attasorb®, Ultra-Clear® and Microsorb®?
How much attapulgite should be used?
Can Sorbents Direct supply attapulgite in bulk quantities?
Not Sure Which Attapulgite Grade to Start With?
Send us the process liquid, treatment objective, current filtration or sorption media if known, mesh size, equipment configuration and required quantity. We can help narrow the starting options and provide pricing, freight and available technical documentation.
