Attapulgite is a magnesium-aluminum silicate clay mineral that is utilized as a drilling fluid in the oil and gas industry. Moreover, to make mineral oil dispersible, attapulgite is first coated with a quaternary amine. Attapulgite is generally available in colloidal and sorptive grade variations and has a specific laminated chain structure with crystalline lattice displacement. It exhibits good water absorption capacity, which is used to manufacture pharmaceuticals and anti-diarrhea medications that aids stomach and digestive tract to remove acids and chemical toxins. Attapulgite also used to refine animal, vegetable, and mineral oil, as well as carrier for pesticide and fungicide. Thus, attapulgite has various applications in industries such as medicine, chemical, cosmetics, oil and gas, and paper.

Market Dynamics

Factors such as are expected drive the demand for attapulgite during the forecast period. For instance, According to the International Energy Agency (IEA) report of 2021, natural gas consumption in India is predicted to increase by 25 billion cubic meters by 2024, with an average annual growth rate of 9%. Moreover, dissolved salt has no negative effect on attapulgite properties, attapulgite is used to enhance slurry volume and decrease slurry weight. Thus, for its higher suspending properties, attapulgite has a wide range of applications in salt polluted mud for offshore drilling activities, and this is expected to drive the global attapulgite market growth. Moreover, attapulgite-based suspending agents are highly compatible with fibrous, flake-type materials, and granular slurries and this is expected to drive growth of the market over the forecast period.

Furthermore, increasing use of the attapulgite as a thickening, gelling agent, and adhesive viscosity controller in the production of adhesives, paints, and coatings is expected to propel growth of the global attapulgite market. Attapulgite of sorptive grade is widely employed in industrial cleansers, as well as for refining agricultural chemicals, petroleum, and neutralizing oils and fats. Attapulgite technological improvements, such as the development of attapulgite-based pet litter absorbents, are also driving market growth. This attapulgite product coagulates soil and disperses odour while being environmentally beneficial.

U.S. has a large deposit of the clay mineral, however, strict mining laws such as land rules, environmental standards, substance toxicities, and waste disposal may hamper growth of the global attapulgite market. Moreover, the Department of Labor's safety regulations is expected to restrict the market growth.

Market Outlook

North America is anticipated to hold dominant position in the global attapulgite market, owing to rising demand for attapulgite from domestic chemical and pet waste absorbents industries in the region. The increased demand for attapulgite as a cat litter adsorbent, owing to the rising popularity of petting cats in developed countries such as the U.S., is expected to attapulgite market growth in the region. For instance, according to the 2019-2020 Nationwide Pet Owners Survey performed by the American Pet Products Association, 67% of U.S. households, or around 85 million family, own a pet. This is expected to drive attapulgite market growth by rising awareness about innovation of eco-friendly and clay mineral based fast-acting litter adsorbents, over the forecast period.

During the forecast period, Asia Pacific is expected to be the fastest emerging market. Growing medical, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics industries, as well as adoption of the Attapulgite for ferrochrome pelletizing in the Asia Pacific, are expected to drive demand for attapulgite over the forecast period.

Key Players

Major players operating in the global attapulgite market include BASF SE, Oil-Dri Corporation of America, Korvi Activated Earth, The Halliburton Company, Ashwa Minerals Private Limited, Taiko Holdings Co. Ltd., KPL International Limited, Phoenix Chemicals Pvt. Ltd, AMC (UK) Limited, and Russell Finex Ltd.

Market players are focused on growth strategies including mergers, acquisitions, investments, and regional expansion to strengthen their market position. For instance, on September 6, 2021, Amlan, an animal health branch of Oil-Dri Corporation of America, a global leader in the manufacture and distribution of sorbent minerals, has engaged in China's developing animal protein business by expanding its technical staff and expanding its logistics.

Market Taxonomy

On the basis of product, global attapulgite market is segmented into:

Colloidal
Sorptive

On the basis of end user, global attapulgite market is segmented into:

Pet Waste Absorbents
Oil and Gas
Agriculture
Paints and Coatings
Medical and Pharmaceutical

On the basis of region, global attapulgite market is segmented into:

Asia Pacific
- China
- India
- Japan
- ASEAN
- Australia
- South Korea
- Rest of Asia Pacific
North America
- U.S.
- Canada
- Mexico
Europe
- U.K.
- Germany
- France
- Italy
- Russia
- Rest of Europe
South America
- Brazil
- Argentina
- Rest of South America
Middle East
- GCC
- Israel
- Rest of Middle East
Africa
- North Africa
- Central Africa
- South Africa