Fuller's earth

Fuller's earth is any nonplastic clay or claylike material that can be used to decolorize, filter, and purify animal, mineral, and vegetable oils and greases. It usually has a high magnesium oxide content. In the United States, two varieties of fuller's earth are mined, mainly in the southeastern states. These comprise the minerals montmorillonite or palygorskite (attapulgite) or a mixture of the two; some of the other minerals that may be present in fuller's earth deposits are calcite, dolomite, and quartz. Fuller's Earth has also been mined in the Vale of White Horse, in Oxfordshire, England. There was a Fuller's Earth mine operating to the south of Bath Somerset until 1979.[1]

The name reflects the first use of the material. In past centuries, fullers (whom we might now call dry cleaners) kneaded powdered fuller's earth into woollen garments to absorb lanolin and human body oils. When the fuller's earth was shaken out and the garment was "fulled" (fluffed), it was considered to be clean; this process is termed "fulling". Fuller's earth was also sold in pharmacies until recently for compressing pills and it is sometimes used by crane operators and their oilers to absorb grease and oil off the brake bands on the winches to make them function properly.

Fuller's earth is also used by military forces to clean soldiers who are contaminated with chemical weapons.

It also finds use in special effects when simulating explosions. Fine-grained fuller's earth makes a much larger plume than ordinary dirt, suggesting a larger explosion and allowing a smaller, safer charge to be used.

Important uses are in absorbents and filters. Because of this, fuller's earth is sometimes found in cat litter.

Hills, cliffs and slopes containing fuller's earth can be unstable, since this material can be thixotropic, when saturated by heavy rainfall.