Mining success
Black Hills Bentonite ’ s high-quality Wyoming products are used by leading companies around the world
Some firms aim to be the largest in their industry , but Black Hills Bentonite LLC has found success with a modest size , President Tom Thorson says . “ We ’ ve been able to make decisions without having to go through a large company ’ s bureaucracy ,” he states , adding that this allows it to efficiently “ take advantage of situations .”
Based in Mills ,
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Wyo ., the company manufactures lignite products for drilling fluids companies and high-grade Wyoming bentonite , which has applications in well drilling and cat litter . In addition , it has a variety of environmental applications and foundry applications . Thorson ’ s father , Harry Thorson , cofounded the company in 1947 .
Thorson had been a contract miner who recovered bentonite and brought it to
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I have a lot of good people who work for me processing plants . When the mines chose to not continue employing Thorson , he took his reserves and built his own bentonite plant .
Today , Tom Thorson says , Black Hills Bentonite has five bentonite plants and one lignite plant . In addition , the company employs approximately 100 and serves clients as far away as Japan .
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