Zeolites belong to a large family of minerals that includes nearly 200 types. Natural zeolites form a small group of about thirty species in this large family. Natural zeolites were formed by the transformation of volcanic ash that was deposited in lakes and seas tens of millions of years ago. Natural zeolites are aluminosilicate of hydrated alkali or alkaline earth metals.
These non-toxic minerals are often called “molecular sieves” because of their porous and open structure formed of cages connected by a vast network of interconnected channels that can be roughly compared to a “honeycomb”. Positively charged atoms (cations) such as alkali or alkaline earth metals are linked with negatively charged aluminosilicate lattice structure. These cations can be replaced by others having a greater affinity for the inorganic matrix, which gives zeolites one of their main characteristics: the cation exchange capacity.
The channels have a size close to that of a molecule of water so that the smallest molecules can penetrate the zeolite’s pores while the largest ones cannot pass through, thus giving rise to the term “molecular sieve”. Zeolites generally have high specific surface areas: Their rigid structure gives them great stability because they do not swell. However, the mineralogical composition, surface area, density and cation exchange capacity (CEC) of each zeolite determine its overall properties and therefore its effectiveness for a given-application.
Aqualite™ was discovered at the Ratka mine in northern Hungary. This unique local geology makes it an unparalleled water purification mineral. After mining the bulk material, further production takes place at Josab’s own production plant in Szerencs.
Aqualite ™ is widely used for decades in water purification and is especially suitable for producing pure drinking water from fresh water sources. As an excellent filter media, Aqualite™ is also used for swimming pool water treatment, industrial wastewater treatment and agricultural irrigation water treatment.
GREEN MINERAL FOR GREEN WATER CLEANING – AQUALITE™
In all segments of the entire supply chain, we strive to create sustainable and environmentally friendly products, technology and know-how. Annual growth in global water consumption is expected to be 3 percent. While 70 percent of the Earth’s surface is covered by water, the global freshwater supply is declining every year. The trend of long-term, significantly increased water consumption in developing countries is expected to continue. Due to world population growth, especially in water-scarce regions, industrialization in developing countries is leading to increasing economic growth, with water supply within the industrial sector projected to expand by 400 percent by 2050.
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Aqualite |
Filter sand |
Activated carbon |
Mechanical filtration |
Yes |
Yes |
no |
Ammonium removal |
Yes |
no |
no |
Iron and manganese removal |
Yes |
no |
no |
Heavy metals removal |
Yes |
no |
no |
Organic compound removal |
no |
no |
Yes |