PRODUCTION OF CLAY MINERAL-CONTAINING LIQUID COMPOSITION

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain the subject composition that can prevent clay minerals from coagulating even in the presence of salts by previously mixing a clay mineral and a water-soluble macromolecular compound in a specific solution, then admixing specific components to the resulting mixture. SOLUTION: (A) A clay mineral preferably with an average particle size (measured according to the dynamic light scattering process) of 10-5,000 nm and absolute ζ-potential of >=30 mV according to the electrophoretic light scattering method, such as smectite, (B) a water-soluble macromolecular compound such as xanthan gum are preliminarily mixed in (C) an aqueous solution free from surfactant, polyhydric alcohol and salts, then the resultant mixture is mixed with (D) one or more components selected from surfactant, polyhydric alcohol and salts thereby obtaining the objective composition. In a preferred embodiment, the component D is 1,3-butylene glycol, glycerol, sodium citrate and the like. The formulation of these components is preferably 0.1-10 wt.% of the component A, 0.01-5 wt.% of the composition B, 0.1-50 wt.% of the component C and 0.01-20 wt.% of the component D.