The 18th Chinese Non-Metallic Minerals Science and Technology and Market Exchange Conference, along with the non-metallic minerals’ products and equipment exhibition, was successfully held from May 23 to 25, 2025, at the Three Gorges Hotel in Yichang, Hubei. This year’s conference, themed 'Driving High-Quality Development of the Non-Metallic Minerals Industry through Technological Innovation,' covered the entire non-metallic minerals industry chain. Bentonite, as the core category for display and discussion, became the focus of the event due to its rich content in innovative technology exchanges and appearances of advanced equipment, providing industry professionals with an efficient platform for technology networking and market communication.

Exhibition Highlights Bentonite Equipment and Full-Chain Technology on Display

Although the conference covers the entire non-metallic minerals sector, the bentonite-related exhibition areas continue to gain popularity. The exhibition features over 60 core booths, displaying advanced equipment for the entire bentonite processing workflow, including key stages such as grinding, screening, powder modification, and purification, attracting numerous industry companies for discussions.

In addition to equipment displays, upstream and downstream supporting products for bentonite are also presented simultaneously. From high-purity bentonite ores and additives to end products such as organic bentonite and bentonite impervious membranes, a complete industrial chain display matrix is formed. Many exhibiting companies indicated that, leveraging the cross-sector platform advantages of the conference, they not only achieved precise connections with equipment suppliers and technical service providers but also expanded cooperation channels with customers in downstream applications such as coatings and environmental protection. Over 30 technical cooperation intentions were established on-site, and product procurement agreements exceeded 80 million yuan.

Cross-domain Collaboration Empowers High-quality Development of the Bentonite Industry

As the annual grand event of the non-metallic minerals industry, this conference has injected strong development momentum into the bentonite sector. On one hand, the technical seminar sessions have established a bridge connecting industry, academia, research, and application, precisely matching cutting-edge technological achievements from universities and research institutions with the practical production needs of enterprises, accelerating the industrialization of innovative products such as bentonite aerogel and high-end anti-seepage materials. On the other hand, the cross-domain nature of the exhibition breaks down industry barriers, promoting deep integration of bentonite enterprises with downstream fields such as construction, environmental protection, and new energy, thereby expanding application scenarios and market potential.

Industry experts attending the conference stated that the bentonite industry is currently at a key stage of transformation from a "resource-based" to a "technology-based" sector. The high-end preparation technologies and green production equipment highlighted at this conference precisely meet industry development needs. The communication platform provided by the conference not only helps enterprises enhance their core competitiveness but also promotes the formation of a favorable pattern across the industry of "technology-driven innovation, market demand-driven growth, and collaborative development along the industrial chain."