Abstract: This invention relates to products obtained from sugar mill boiler ash, methods of using such products as a filtration material, and/or adsorbent material and methods of manufacturing such products. More specifically, this invention relates to filtration materials, with either a low or relatively high activated carbon content derived from the combustion of sugar cane residues whose characteristics and properties can be preselected and controlled to provide predetermined performance characteristics, and methods of obtaining such products through processing techniques which control the properties of such products. The invention also provides adsorbent materials of very high carbon content useful for applications other than a filter medium.