I-bentonite powder powder iyiminerali engeyona yensimbi ene-montmorillonite njengengxenye eyinhloko yamaminerali. Isakhiwo se-montmorillonite siyi-2: 1 yohlobo lwe-crystal structure enama-tetrahedroni amabili we-silicon-oxygen kanye noqweqwe lwama-octahedron e-aluminium-oxygen. Kukhona ama-cations athile esakhiweni esigqinsiwe, njenge-Cu, Mg, Na, K, njll., Kanye nokuxhumana kwalezi zingqimba ne-montmorillonite unit cell akuqinile, futhi kulula ukushintshaniswa ngamanye ama-cations, ngakho-ke inokushintshaniswa okuhle kwe-ion. Amazwe angaphandle asetshenziswe eminyangweni engaphezu kwekhulu ezindaweni ezingama-24 zokukhiqizwa kwezimboni nezolimo, futhi kunemikhiqizo engaphezu kuka-300, ngakho abantu bakubiza ngokuthi “inhlabathi yomhlaba wonke.”