Natural zeolites

Natural zeolites are abundantly available and easily obtainable all around the world.
It can be found in small cavitities of basaltic rocks over the year, volcanic tuffs, glass
altered by the interaction with saline water. Zeolites are formed in a geological
environments such as alkaline deserts, lake sediment or marine sediments at low
temperature and even in the clay (BZ). According to the US Geological Survey, there
are around 40 natural zeolite and the most common zeolites that have been mined are
chabazite, clinoptilolite and mordenite.

Natural zeolites are inexpensive and have been used abundantly as catalyst in
many processes such as petrochemical industries, environmental applications, and
water treatment (16). Zeolites are very important acidic solid materials applied in
isomerization, cracking, and hydrocracking of hydrocarbon for petrochemical
industry and petroleum refining (16).