Since 1994
A manufacturer, not a trader. Bentonite at Bhuj, polymers at Domjur.
Smec-Tight™: bentonite pellets for sealing boreholes
High-swelling sodium bentonite pellets that form a low-permeability seal in boreholes, wells and standpipe piezometers.
Description
Smec-Tight™ is high-swelling sodium bentonite in pellet form, selected to create a membrane where low-permeability layers are wanted. Placed dry in a borehole or well and wetted, the pellets absorb water and swell, filling the voids around them and forming a dense seal, so the hole stops being a path for water between layers.
Used for: Sealing boreholes and wells
Other sealing bentonites: VodaSeal™-Grout · VodaSeal™-SCB
What goes wrong on site
What you see on site
What this does about it
- Water still moves along the hole after sealing.
- The pellets swell into a dense, low-permeability plug that closes the path between layers.
- Pellets jam part-way down and leave a void below.
- Place them slowly, by tremie where needed, in a clear hole.
- The seal swells less than expected.
- Swell depends on the water: send us your water analysis.
- The seal shrinks or cracks later.
- It will not shrink and crack with time.
Technical properties
- 11 mmAverage pellet diameter
- 20–40%Swelling volume
- as low as 10−8 cm/sPermeability, falling-head method
- 970–1,070 kg/m³Bulk density
- 10 ± 0.5pH, 3% dispersion
- 2.2Specific gravity
Properties of the pellets as supplied; there is no mixing dose, the pellets are placed dry. Swelling depends on the water: 20–40% in non-saline water, less as dissolved solids rise.
Packing 25 kg bags, stretch-wrapped on wooden pallets, or 1,300 kg jumbo bags.
Sealing something else?
Send us the hole log or the borehole diagram. The technical desk reads it and replies within 1 working day.
Made by us. Checked by others.
ISO 9001:2015
All our plants are quality management system certified.
Star Export House
Recognised by the Government of India. We ship through Mundra and Kandla.
Own mine, Kutch
The clay in every bag comes from our own reserves in Kutch.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Smec-Tight™: size, coated or uncoated?
Uncoated pellets of high-swelling sodium bentonite, 11 mm in average diameter. Dropped into a borehole or well and wetted, they swell into a dense, low-permeability seal. They are dust-free and give off no heat as they hydrate.
Is it used for the annular seal of water bores and piezometers?
Yes. Smec-Tight™ seals the annulus of boreholes, monitoring wells and all types of standpipe piezometer, and is used to seal and abandon water wells, so a hole cannot become a path for water between layers. Decommissioning rules vary by country; it fits programmes that specify sodium bentonite sealing material.
How low is the permeability?
As low as 10−8 cm/s, so very little water passes the hydrated seal, which is what protects the groundwater.
How do I stop the pellets bridging?
Bridging is pellets lodging above the sealing interval and leaving a void below. Pour slowly at a steady rate, use a tremie pipe where needed, make sure the hole is clear, and match the pellet size to the hole diameter. Smec-Tight™ pellets average 11 mm.
Is it safe near drinking-water aquifers?
It is natural bentonite, free from any toxic material and safe to use in aquifers. Your local regulator decides what may be placed in a well, so check the project specification.
Which test methods and standards apply?
Tested to the methods its data sheet prints: permeability by the falling-head method, and MB adsorption value as per the VDG standard.
How many pellets per metre of borehole?
It is measured by weight, and it depends on the hole diameter: about 7 kg of Smec-Tight™ per metre of a 4-inch hole, 16 kg for 6-inch and 43 kg for 10-inch, based on 11 mm pellets. Tell us your hole size, from 3 to 36 inches, and we will give you the rate.
Who supplies Smec-Tight™?
Amrfeo Private Limited, a manufacturer since 1994, makes and exports Smec-Tight™ bentonite pellets, supplying buyers across the Gulf, Europe and Asia. The bentonite is mined and processed at our plant at Bhuj, Kutch, Gujarat, under ISO 9001:2015.
Last updated: