Description

Ashapura’s Bleaching Earth Products: Key Grades & Specs

Ashapura sells bleaching earth under their Galleon brand.
aplgalleon.com
Here are some of the grades and their properties:

Grade Key Physical / Chemical Properties
Galleon Earth V2 Special Bulk density ~ 0.6 g/ml; pH (5% suspension) 3–4.5; moisture ≤ 15%
ashapuramidgulf.com

Galleon Earth V2 Similar density; pH ~2.8–3.5; residual acidity ~2.5 mg KOH/g; acidity ≤ 0.4% H₂SO₄
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Galleon Earth V2 Super Also 0.6 g/ml bulk density, pH 2.8–3.5, same residual acidity limit.
ashapuramidgulf.com

Other performance highlights:

High bleaching efficiency — good at removing chlorophyll, carotenes, etc.
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Low dosage is needed because of a high active surface area.
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Good absorption capacity — can remove soaps, peroxides, trace metals.
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It’s “toxin-free” in the sense that it avoids damaging mineral acids.
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They claim compliance with heavy-metal / dioxin standards (e.g. FEDIOL for EU).
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From the V2 spec sheet:

Moisture: max 15%
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Fineness: at least 80% passes through 90 μm
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Residual acidity: ≤ 2.5 mg KOH/g
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Tap bulk density: ~ 0.55–0.65 g/ml
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BET surface area: ~ 300–330 m²/g
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Chemical composition (typical): ~59.2% SiO₂, ~8.5% Al₂O₃, etc.
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Safety:

Their MSDS (for V2 Supreme) notes presence of crystalline silica (quartz) ~1–3%, which is a concern for dust inhalation.
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Exposure to dust may irritate respiratory passages.
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Production / Manufacturing

Their major bleaching earth plant is in Bhuj, Gujarat (India).
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That plant uses a “filter-less” technology (from a partnership / technical collaboration with Japanese Mizusawa Industrial Chemicals) to produce their Galleon grades.
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They also have a plant in Dharur (India) for another grade / type.
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They have a facility in Antwerp, Belgium (Ashapura Midgulf / AVL) to serve European customers.
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Applications of Ashapura Bleaching Earth

Edible oil refining: To remove color bodies, gums, phosphatides, trace metals, etc.
ashapura.com

Mineral oils & waxes: For purification / decolorization.
ashapura.com

Animal fats & biofuels: They specifically mention use in these areas.
ashapura.com

Advantages / Why Choose Ashapura’s Bleaching Earth

High surface area → strong adsorption, efficient decoloring.
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Consistent quality: Their captive bentonite reserves (~34 million tonnes) help with consistency and supply.
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Environment / Safety: According to their sustainability report, water reuse is part of their production flow; they treat effluent and re-use RO condensate.
ashapura.com

Large scale operations: Their capacity and global presence make them a reliable supplier.

Limitations / Considerations

Because of silica content, handling requires proper dust control / PPE.
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The right grade must be chosen depending on the oil being refined, since different oils (palm, soybean, castor, etc.) have different “bleachability” challenges.

What Is Bleaching Earth?

Bleaching earth is a type of activated clay (usually montmorillonite / bentonite) used to adsorb and remove impurities, color pigments, soaps, metals, and other undesired components from oils (vegetable, mineral, animal) and waxes.
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aplgalleon.com
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It is often acid-activated to enhance its adsorption properties.
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About Ashapura & Their Bleaching Earth Business

Ashapura Group is a major player in the minerals space.
ashapuramidgulf.com
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Their bentonite / clay division is quite large: Ashapura Minechem (Bentonite Division) makes bleaching earth.
bentonite.ashapura.com
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According to their sustainability / annual report, they operate acid-activated bleaching clay plants.
ashapura.com

Their capacity is big: per a recent report, their bleaching clay capacity is ~200,000 tons.