Healing Clays of the World ~ Illite, Bentonite, Montmorillonite - Eytons' Earth

[ View the last 100 Search Engine Referred Visitors ] [ Page Comments & Eytons' Earth Healing Clays ]
[ Auto Print this Page without Images ] [ Auto Print this page with images ]

New Sources: Selling Healing Clay

Please also see our section on other clay websites for addition resources and references.

American Colloid HPM-20 is an excellent "agricultural grade" bentonite/montmorillonite that can be used as an all purpose clay. Amercian Colloid Volclay KWK 200 is an excellent food grade clay... One may be able to find a local source for these clays, otherwise one must purchase the clay in bulk. Remember, that in our experience ( yours may differ ), green sodium bentonites/montmorillonites are the best clays for a true colon cleansing.

Cosmetic Grade Bulk / Wholesale Calcium Bentonite / Montmorillonite Healing Clay - Fine quality multi-purpose healing clay; purchase quantities from 300 lbs., deep discounts when purchased by the pallet.

Argiletz Green Illite Clay from France - We recommend Argiletz Green Illite Clay for healing clay research purposes. Argiletz french illite is one of the most powerful clays we have researched for external poultices. It works excellent for cosmetics, and as an internal clay. At Eytons' Earth, we enjoy blending Illite clay water with a sodium bentonite and a calcium montmorillonite for internal use.

Australian Clay Source - Argiletz Healing Clay sold in Australia
British / UK Clay Source - Argiletz Healing Clays sold in the UK
U.S. Source - French Green Illite is now available in the United States

Terramin Calcium Montmorillonite - A red clay used by the Gerson Institute; it is also the same clay that Neva Jensen wrote about.

Pascalite Calcium Bentonite - Pascalite is a Wyoming, white calcium bentonite.

Australian Cosmetic Clays - A wide variety of fine Australian clays.

Peak Minerals - Azomite Mineral Powder, as recommended by the Weston Price Foundation as a superfood ( http://www.westonaprice.org/basicnutrition/superfoods.html ).

Mountain Rose - Mountain Rose carries an affordable Wyoming sodium bentonite, as well as a great Fuller's Earth clay.

Don't forget to also see our section on other clay websites for addition resources, references, and products.

Visit our new section on healing clay therapy books.

 

 

Featured: Did You Know...?

  The science of clays is an emmense subject to tackle; one can get a PHD in clay science. The chemistry of clays is also a specialty field, especially studying clay as a colloid. One may thus also get a PHD specializing in colloidal chemistry. To understand the vast world of clay, as it applies to natural medicine and biochemistry and biological sciences, one would require an understanding of both specialized sciences. Skeptical? See the fantastic research of Sandia National Laboratories and other clay science research.

 

 

Purchasing/Buying Healing Clay

How to Acquire Bentonite and Other Healing Clays

325 mesh bentonite, technical grade, before hydration
 
Hydrated bentonite - when this "magma" sets for a period of 24 - 72 hours, it will have actually thickened

A common 325 mesh "technical grade" bentonite powder before hydration, placed in a five gallon glass container ( The brand shown is Whittaker ).

 

Five gallons of hydrated bentonite ( not "set" yet ) created by adding 24 cups of water. Notice the amount of volume of hydrated clay that was created simply by adding water.

 

Eytons' Earth is not a clay sales company. We have no products for sale at this time.

We receive many inquiries concerning the purchase of healing clays. It can be difficult to find a supplier and gauge the quality and suitability of the various clays that are available for purchase on the market. This page is intended to serve as a general guide to buying clays suitable for use with the human body-- it is, however, by no means definitive!

How to find bentonite and other healing clays...

 

When Buying Healing Clay, What to Avoid and Why

 

 
Please take a moment to view our special section on clay chemistry which clarifies the meaning of terms such as bentonite and montmorillonite!

There are many companies both on the Internet and off who specialize in retailing so-called healing clay.  We have anonymously contacted many of them, and we have field tested many products.  We believe that there is a great social responsibility when a person or group of people endeavors to market an untested ( or simply unaccepted ) alternative treatment in any type of medicine.  In our opinion, harsh though it may be, most of these marketing companies fail absolutely, both in understanding the product they sell, and in representing it with integrity.

Do not purchase clay products that are sold in unsealed containers, as there is a strong chance that the clay will have become contaminated during shipping and storage.

Avoid clay products with additives of any kind, unless one is certain about the compatibility of the additives and clay for human use.

 


Recommended Sources for Clay Purchase
Where to Buy Healing Clay

V.E. Irons Inc.

If one still wishes to purchase hydrated bentonite in a form ready for use internally, we recommend products by V.E. Irons, Inc.  V.E. Irons, Inc. has been in business for decades, and has contributed to the knowledge base of humanity with their own research staff.  V. Earl Irons, founder, was a pioneer in natural products long before most of our country knew what a supplement was.  They have published papers and been involved in the vitamin/supplement movement since its inception.  They have various patented methods for creating their final products. Their internal clay, one of the first bentonites to reach market in ready to consume form, is USP Grade rather than FDA grade, which is the exact road we would take if marketing a similar product.  Notice that they sell their product in a GLASS UV PROTECTED container.  While clay does not need to be protected from sunlight, this is standard packaging procedure for their hydrated products. Our hats are off to to the fine family who has contributed so much to the world of mineral supplements.

Visit a distributor of VE Irons Bentonite ( this link was changed 12/01 ).

American Colloid Company

The American Colloid Company sells various forms of bentonite for industrial and pharmaceutical use.  They market a standard unprocessed 325 mesh technical grade bentonite that works better than Aztec or any other so-called healing clay ( pure bentonite ) that I have tested on the open market.  They do NOT recommend its use for healing and we have tested it for external use only; indeed, they really have no idea that bentonite can be used as a healing agent.  No large quarry or processing plant can recommend its clay for use on the human body and be in compliance with the FDA/USDA guidelines that regulate their industry.  However, unlike Aztec and some others, when you purchase this clay, you are guaranteed that it is free of grade related contaminants ( 325 mesh bentonite is tested for bacterial contamination and other potentially harmful contaminants ).  They do not directly sell to the public; one must find a supplier.  They sell it in powdered form for a fraction of the cost one would see online or in a health food store.  For internal use, they sell a pharmacy grade bentonite which the FDA has approved for use in the human body.  While more expensive than the 325 mesh industrial grade clay, its price ( once the powder is hydrated ) is still a fraction of the cost you'd find from a specialty carrier.

We've also tested American Colloid HPM-20 Agricultural grade clay for use in baths, and it performs admirably.

Pascalite

Pascalite is a rare specialty clay ( Calcium Bentonite ).  Although not nearly as affordable as a standard bentonite, we believe the price is justified because they truly offer a fine specialty clay.  Ray P., founder of Pascalite, is reputably quite a character.  His book is also available directly from Pascalite. Their products may be ordered by using the following URL:

http://www.pascalite.com

Engineered Ceramics - EMX

Dr. Teruo Higa of Okinawa developed this unique product line based on a philosophy of Effective Microorganism engineering ( EM ). While we have never used EMX, we understand the principles by which Dr. Higa has formulated his products. Ceramics and clays have an incredible dense molecular structure, and if Dr. Higa has indeed succeeded in engineering a ceramic product which exemplifies clay properties, then his product is certainly worthy of serious consideration. His products for use with the human body are designed to effect the electromagnetic fields generated both by the body and by artificial devices. It should be noted that where "solid-state" products are concerned, about 10-20% of the general population can feel immediate effects, about 50% cannot perceive a difference, and about 30% may feel a general improvement in well being.

All of his products are reasonably priced, excepting his refreshment drink which costs an amazing $70.00 for 500 cc's! His products may be viewed at the following web site address:

http://emtrading.com/store/index.html

A Word About FDA and Other Purified Clays

An example of a 50 lb bag of 325 mesh bentonite - notice the warning that clay dust from powdered clay should not be inhaled."FDA grade" clay may or may not maintain the healing potency of natural and USP grade clay. These clays tend to be over processed, bleached, and sometimes chemically washed and irradiated.

When we submitted two samples of clay for lab analysis, one FDA grade and one natural, the group doing the analytical work elected not to even study the FDA grade clay after preliminary work using Transmission Electron Microscopy. The processed clay was described as useless mud! To qualify this statement, FDA grade clay ( and other "purified" clays ) will still maintain their ability to adsorb substances, and thus may still be sufficient for internal cleansing programs. Needless to say, our recommendation is to use a natural or USP grade clay for internal use.

 

 

 

 

Recommended sources for healing clay...



Finding Clays for Use in Natural Medicine

Local ceramic supply stores often carry at least one brand of pure bentonite.  They traditionally carry a few variations of bentonite for use as an additive to clays used for ceramics/sculpting that contain additives in them, so be certain that you get a pure bentonite.  If necessary, ask to view the Material Data Sheet that the store will have on file for the clay.

Most ceramic supply stores are small enough to offer old fashioned personalized customer service.  The person in charge of ordering their clays may have access to suppliers that carry American Colloid Company clay, and perhaps clays from Pfizer and other manufacturers as well.  I highly recommend purchasing clay in the 50 lb. bags that the manufacturers ship them in.

Construction firms often have access to bentonite suppliers as well, as do drilling companies.

Finding Natural Clays

An embankment of healing clay fragments covering a pure veinThe more adventurous soul may wish to find a natural source of clay for use. There are very important considerations to remember whenever finding a natural source of green clay that one wishes to use on or in the human body. The following is NOT all inclusive, but may serve as a general guide on natural clay sources.

A local miners' association or mineral society may have information about natural deposits in local regions. In the U.S., the Bureau of Land Management may have maps available that show natural clay deposits.

Usually, one finds a natural source for green clay because a subterranean vein has reached the surface. Surface clay in regions that have a high level of rainfall will most likely have succumbed to excessive leeching. When one finds a green clay on the surface, however, at least one vein will be nearby. It is worth the search to find this "pure vein", because the pure form of the clay should be used for testing purposes. Remember that hundreds of thousands of years have gone into the development of natural clays, and anything could have been sorpted into the clay during this time. Clays that have been subject to human-made waste products or clays that are located near any industry should not be used in the human body.

It should be noted that nearly, if not all, natural green clay sources located in the United States were known and used by indigenous cultures before the modernization of America. It can be well worth the time to research the area thoroughly to see if any clay found was used by Native Americans. This is not as easy of a proposition as it may first appear. Most of the modern tribes have long since lost the art of clay healing. Those who have kept this tradition alive will most likely not speak of it at all to "outsiders".

In our case, it took a year to determine that the natural clay had in fact been in use for over 10,000 years. There were two tribes indigenous to the area that had no knowledge of clay use in healing.

Obviously, if one is able to determine an extensive history of human use, and the environment has not gone through drastic changes, then the found clay will undoubtedly be both safe and effective for use. There is a comfort, in fact, knowing that a product has been successfully used for hundreds if not thousands of years! Our own modern medicine has much less of a proven history, and is in fact not doing very well against infections as nature responds to antibiotic use!

Having found and acquired a natural clay, the only certain method to determine safety of use is via laboratory analysis. If certainty is essential, then one would be best advised to take the clay in the purest form available, hydrate it with distilled water until it forms a consistent gel, and have a lab perform the equivalent of USP testing. It should be tested for anti-microbial properties, heavy metals, mineral content ( ionic content as well as dissolved solids ), and the PH balance should be determined. Salt / Sulfur contamination is a common occurrence through leeching. While these types of clays may have very special properties for external use, it is not offhand recommended that these be used for internal use.

There is considerable expense involved in such testing. Students of natural medicine, armed with considerable knowledge about health, may wish to perform some more affordable tests to determine the properties and the potency of any given natural clay. Again, always start with the purest form of clay available. Ideally, the clay is taken directly from the vein, where it is in solid form. If the clay from the pure vein crumbles easily, there is a good chance it contains various salts.

Often, clay taken from underground will be moist. Allow the clay to dry in a clean environment. Measure out ( estimate if needed ) about one cup of clay. Place the clay in a glass container. Slowly hydrate the clay by adding very small amounts of water. Keep a running total of the amount of water used. Keep in mind that it does take time for clay to incorporate the added water. Keep adding water and determine if the clay is expanding into gel form. A high potency green clay will adsorb 3-5 times its volume in water. Clay contaminated with excess impurities will not do so.

Provided that one has been successful producing a clay gel, the next step is to begin once more adding water. In this case, the amount of water added does not need to be measured. Slowly add water, again in a see through glass container. When adding water, the clay should begin to disassociate, and one should notice only water and clay. At this point, do not add "too much" water to create a liquid,rather just enough water to observe what is actually occurring as a result. Mix the solution. As more water is added, many impurities, if present, will begin to separate from the clay, either rising to the surface or dropping toward the bottom of the container. There will usually be sediment that DOES drop to the bottom, and this is normal.

If no impurities are noticed, then take some clay gel and set it aside to dry. Upon drying, salts and sulfur will leave a white residue. If this residue is excessive, then the clay has sorpted large amounts of these substances which may not be noticeable without the drying process.

If the clay appears relatively pure, and has exhibited the "swelling" that is characteristic of green clays, then take some "magma" or "gel" and cover about 1 square inch of the back of the hand with the clay used about 1/2 inch thick. Do not compress the clay, but make certain there is uniform skin contact. Do not allow the clay to dry. Keep it on the skin for a few minutes, then gently remove it and clean the back of the hand with a body-temperature wet wash cloth.

Observe the skin for signs of a chemical reaction or irritation. Any such reaction may indicate a high presence of compounds that may make the clay unsuitable for use. However, there ARE a few specialty clays that DO react upon the skin that have great value for use. The operative idea is that if one is not sure - get sure! A pure green clay, while it will quickly remove impurities from the skin, will not cause a chemical reaction with the skin itself. There ARE many thermal reactions that can occur when using bentonites and other healing clays; the back of the hand is the chosen testing point to minimize the chance of mistaking a different type of reaction from a chemical one.

These are a few ideas that give one a general indication of the purity of a natural green clay source. If the history of a clay source is unknown, and one cannot submit samples for lab testing, then one should carefully begin testing the clay.

If the swelling properties of a clay are not present, then one may have found a different type of bentonite. Keep in mind that this document expounds on the properties of a pure bentonite, not a bentonite compound nor any other type of clay that may be suitable for use.

The color of natural bentonite will vary from a dull gray, to a green gray, to a deep and rich green.

Finding natural clays to use both internally and externally..


- Tell a friend about Eytons' Earth Healing Clays -

 

See Also:

Thimer Mercury Toxicity & Healing Clay Baths
Introduction to Healing Clays of the World

 

Featured: Did You Know...?

  Ozone Bagging, the experience of one dedicated user:

..After spending over $4000 on alternative things, I can definitely state that ozone is the closest you can get to a 'doctor in a bottle/box/etc.'...I had a bad problem with circulation in my legs - I think old blood clots and other damage was responsible. I know I have a lot of internal injury from one MRI I was able to get. Anyway, you can feel the ozone "seep" into you. It feels like an "electrical warmth", and as I felt it seep into my legs, I could feel a "gurgling" and "bubbling" inside my veins/arteries in my legs. After a few weeks, my circulation is greatly improved, and my feet/legs no longer fall asleep when i kneel/sit...

Read more about this ozone bagging experience in our user's forum.

 

 




Search Eytons' Earth







[ top ] [ Eytons' Earth healing clay introduction ] [ search engine: clay, silver, ozone ]
[ about Eytons' Earth ] [ bentonite research doc ] [ general healing clay uses in pelotherapy ]
[ internal healing clay ] [ external healing clay ] [ Bentonite, Illite Clay Compresses ] [ purchasing/buying ]
[ preparing raw clay / raw bentonite ] [ preparing powdered bentonite ] [ clay and mercury poisoning ]
[ clay chemistry ] [ carpal tunnel syndrome ] [ skin graft donor site ] [ mastering clay baths ]
[ bentonite detox: psyllium & clay colloid ] [ scientific studies with clay ] [ archives: healing with the earth and clay ]
[ balneotherapy, balneology, healing waters ] [ new healing clay treatments | examples ] [ personalities & clay ]
clay Information - links to clay resources & websites
[ Morgellons Disease | Skin Parasites | Bentonite ] [ TDP Mineral Lamp & Clay Therapy ]
[ website marketing partners | add url ] [ links ] [ healing clay email discussion list ]
[ natural & alternative medicine forum ] [ new healing clay forum ]

~ New Articles Section on bentonite and clay minerals - the clay cure ~
|| what is bentonite? || bentonite clay mineral formation & evolution ||
|| hydrated sodium bentonite studies - edible clay || bentonite & food poisoning ||
|| Pascalite article - white calcium bentonite || clay use by primitive & indigenous cultures ||
|| trace minerals and clay || living clay: bentonite || healing clay therapy books ||
colon cleansing & detox || delicious bookmarks || The Riches of IS Newsletter

Eytons Earth Healing Clays - Bentonite, Montmorillonite & Illite

  Las Vegas Top Websites - Top Sites

Eytons' Earth, a non-commercial, public awareness organization dedicated to researching the values of healing clays ( bentonite, illite, and montmorillonite ), is based out of Las Vegas Nevada. Feel free to us at any time. While we are not always able to respond, we do our best to answer non-commercial inquiries!


Green Clay - Medicinal Healing Clay - Bentonite, Montmorillonite, Illite

- Page Views @ Eytons' Earth Healing Clays -

 

and content copyright 2004 AVRA & Vegas Web Hosting

Page Last Modified: 11/24/07 05:17