Not at all. On the basis of mineralogy and characteristics, clays are as different from each other as mammals are from amphibians.  Clay species have distinct molecular arrangements and are classified as such.  Clays were a bit mysterious until X-Ray microscopy in the late 1950's allowed us to understand the specific crystalline formations that define each type of clay.

Based on their structures and chemical properties, clays exhibit unique and varied properties. Not all clays are health promoting and not all clays can be safely ingested or used to detoxify or kill germs.

Clays are used for an incredible array of products and industrial processes, including high-tech applications. Everything from porcelain to cosmetics to the ceramic tiles on the space shuttle are all based in clay nanomaterials.

Calcium Montmorillonite is a special and heavily researched clay that is used in health and beauty products. The right kind of Montmorillonite has several properties that make it useful for consumer goods:

Fine, powdery silica-rich materialNegative ionic chargeAbundant mineral payloadStrong antibacterial, antimicrobial agentStrong absorptive agent, meaning it can cling to toxins

Montmorillonites are the kings of the world of healing clays. Yet even within this family of clays, there are remarkable differences in properties.

Calcium Montmorillonite/Calcium Bentonite is a naturally occurring mineral compound that exists beneath the earth’s surface. Pronounced “ mont-more-ill-o-night”, it is a uniquely versatile all natural substance that has been tried, tested and studied as a nutrition and health supplement for over 100 years. It is a safe and beneficial substance for many consumer uses.

It originates from volcanic and tectonic plate activity and a slow, “quiet water” deposition & dehydration process. This amazing compound is richly deposited in pure form in only a few places in the world. Montmorillonite mineral powder comes from purified clay particles, the result of eons of natural earth processes that create a health promoting mineral substance.

Calcium Montmorillonite is a “species” of clay in the Smectite family and is sometimes called Bentonite. It is used mostly as a nutrient and skin topical care products, and is closely related to Sodium Bentonite, which is used in industrial and municipal applications. Both forms of Montmorillonite are related to Kaolin, which is also used in medicine products for ingesting.

Montmorillonite is known for its high cation “ionic” absorptive power, and its absorptive capacity due to its extremely fine particles.

One reason mineral clay works better than ordinary mineral supplements, such as liquid colloidals is that it contains silicon (aka silica) platelets, the one mineral that acts as a delivery agent for vital trace minerals, and as a metabolic catalyst in combination with other minerals to support bone and tissue health.

The detoxification capability of a clay is related to the ionic absorbing qualities of clay. Montmorillonite is one of the most versatile and powerful ionic absorptive clays. This ionic - electrokinetic property is magnified in clays that contain smaller particles because materials made up of smaller platelets have a larger surface area per unit of weight. This means the ionic capacity is cumulatively larger in very fine clays.

First, let’s understand what Daily Values are. The Daily Value, or “DV” percentage that you see on supplement labels, including our edible brands is a metric requirement by the FDA for food and supplement labeling. The DV reflects recommended daily consumption levels established by the FDA, which are based on a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet.

It is important for you to know that while the USDA and FDA are aware that at the very minimum, there are 17 minerals considered absolutely proven to be “essential”, the FDA in its wisdom has established DV’s for only seven of them.

Of course, the DV’s are based on the static RDA’s, or recommended daily allowance, which are actual amounts of various nutrients that some researchers believe people should have to remain healthy. This means these numbers are closer to minimums than maximums.

Naturally, since no two people are alike, and because the needs of various people can very tremendously based on age, sex, environmental conditions, levels of health, and amounts of exercise, these are only guidelines, and should never be construed as prescribed amounts for any individual’s ongoing health, or as approximations of maximum amounts that anyone should take.

Moreover, the FDA has no data on mineral types and forms that impact absorption, and the differences in individual absorption capabilities. It is widely believed that we only absorb 10-50% of the minerals from foods and supplements that we ingest. As a result, the FDA DV’s are crude approximations for mineral health needs. Most people need far more mineral nutrients that the DV’s suggest.

As if that is not complex enough, the federal government also uses acronyms such as RDI, DRI, USRDA, and DRV!

We feel there are many other quality nutrients packed into all of our Pure South products, most of which are needed by humans and animals for healthy living. Pure South naturally contains minerals that we consider health promoting in balanced amounts.

Pure South Ltd is committed to eco-friendly extraction and complete sustainability.

Pure South mineral clay comes from our subsurface in the mineral rich organic plains of Southland. We extract each batch of mineral clay from beneath the surface, without the use of water or chemicals that can cause erosion or pollution. The mineral clay is carefully removed and the over-layer (“overburden”) is replaced to preserve the natural state of the habitat. We sun dry our mineral clay allowing the cosmic energies to enter the clay.

When you search for that term on the Internet you will find many Montmorillonite clays being called “living clay”, it describes the properties which complement and support life. They are:

It contains a balanced portfolio of ionic minerals in bio-available form. The minerals are suspended in an open ionic state in between the crystal platelet layers, so that as the body or plant roots needs them they can become available through a process called “cation exchange”. The clay compound seems to cooperate with biologic and metabolic systems.The mineral compound can be ingested or used topically for a complementary, holistic effect.It can be used to promote the health of all living things and life-sustaining environments:  mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, soils, crops, and people.Scientists have determined that it can play a role in DNA regeneration.The substance delivers nutrients into a body as it removed toxins through an ionic exchange process.  It grabs onto toxins just like a cell does.It is a powerful antibacterial agent.  It is nature’s premier disinfectant and antiseptic.

Silica (Si) is a natural form of silicon that is slightly oxidized to form silicon dioxide (SiO2).

Silicon dioxide is formed when silicon is exposed to oxygen (or air).  A very thin layer of so-called ‘native oxide’ is formed on the surface when silicon is exposed to air under ambient conditions.

Most people use the terms interchangeably because the non-oxidized element is rare.

If you want to see silica, go to the desert or the beach. It is the principle component of sand and the quartz crystals.  Silica is a semiconductor.  It pulses with piezo-electric energy for computer chips and wrist watches.

Silica is also one of the most abundant elements in the earth’s crust, along with natural aluminum.  In its clay powder form, a special form of alumina silicate comprises Montmorillonite, nature’s “living clay”.

There are five reasons why all aluminum silicates are safe.

1. Nearly all of the aluminum in all Calcium Montmorillonites is 100% inert, and automically locked into the silicate structure. Thus, it cannot escape or be released into your body.

2. The trace amounts of aluminum that are held in suspension in the silicate wafer layers are colloidal and natural. This is a natural form of aluminum, which is not the same molecular structure as toxic aluminum from man-made sources. As such, studies show that it does not accumulate in your body.

3. Those who have taken Calcium Montmorillonite internally for decades have undergone hair chemical analysis. The results consistently show that they do not carry an aluminum footprint.

4. Aluminum Silicates, especially Montmorillonite/Bentonite are a powerful anionic compound, which means they attract heavy metal ions in your body through a process called absorption. It is known to help remove what aluminum you may have inside your body.

5. In fact, trace amounts of natural, colloidal aluminum is necessary for health. It works in coordination with lithium and stimulate sleep, memory and cognitive function, and enzyme regulation.

The minerals in mineral clay are colloidal and ionic. Every person needs a different balance and amount of minerals and the amounts needed by a person can vary over time. What mineral clay does is make important macro, micro and trace minerals available to your body to help support your overall metabolism.

Nutrition expert, Dr Gloria Gilbere, N.D., D.A.Hom., PhD.

“Because minerals are part of every cell and body fluid, they are the neurotransmitters that signal every action within the body, literally the body’s electrical system.

In addition, minerals are vital to the overall digestive process and play a major role in maintaining alkalinity within the body - enabling the blood to carry the correct amount of oxygen to all the cells while stimulating and regulating the heart muscle and enabling nerve tissue and glands to properly function.

Many cases of anxiety are a matter of mineral deficiencies that create an imbalanced internal environment, causing a chain reaction that manifests as anxiety, panic or even depression as the body attempts to maintain balance but doesn’t have the tools (minerals/electrolytes) necessary. Because minerals are water-soluble, they are easily forced out of the body by internal and external stresses including exercise, emotions, menstruation, diarrhea and, of course, many prescription medications.

Chemically it is hydrated sodium calcium aluminum magnesium silicate hydroxide potassium iron and other cations are common substitutes, the ratio of cations varies with the source.

The list below depicts 9 of the main minerals that are prevalent in the form of Montmorillonite that is extracted by Pure South Ltd

> Sodium
> Calcium
> Aluminum
> Magnesium
> Silicon
> Potassium
> Titanium
> Iron
> Sulphur