BentoniteTRade (BT) began it's history in 1996 near Kursunlu, Cankiri as the first modern producer of bentonite in Turkiye. Then, BentoniteTRade initiated the construction of a new processing plant in Kursunlu, Cankiri. Large reserves of high quality bentonite placed BentoniteTRade in the enviable position of having excellent quantity and quality reserves in Cankiri- a position maintained to this day.

In 2004, BentoniteTRade closed its Kalecik mill and mines due to the low quality of the remaining reserves, too low in fact to meet the high expectations of BentoniteTRade and its customers.