Abstract: Disclosed is a process of making mesoporous silico-aluminates from calcium bentonite by controlled extraction of octahedral aluminum under mild condition, by acid, preferably phosphoric acid. The mesoporous silicoaluminates contain only tetrahedral aluminum as the residual aluminum. As the result of the selective removal of the octahedral aluminum, the mesoporous silico-aluminates have several unprecedented properties compared to products produced by conventional processes either by mild acid-activation or by a removal of all the aluminum.

Abstract: A novel crystalline titanium silicate designated ETS-14 molecular sieve is disclosed and characterized. ETS-14 may be prepared by heating ETS-10 molecular sieve in the form of an aqueous gel or incorporating crystals of ETS-10 with an aqueous source of sodium that is essentially free from potassium.

Abstract: An improved method for improving the brightness of clay of the type that is capable of being bleached by an oxidative reagent, such as Georgia gray kaolin. Such clay, in the form of a dispersed slurry, is treated with a combination of an inorganic condensed phosphate, sodium hypochlorite and ozone, preferably including separate treatment steps of magnetic purification and reductive bleaching. Suitable phosphates include sodium hexametaphosphate, sodium tripolyphosphate and tetrasodium pyrophosphate. The hypochlorite is added shortly before ozonation, and the phosphate is added before, simultaneously with, or after the hypochlorite.

Abstract: Paper coating pigments comprising a product obtained by the controlled mechanical delamination of kaolin particles. The pigments provide improved opacification, brightness, printing properties and gloss compared to conventional delaminated kaolin pigments. The pigment of the invention is particularly useful for coating light weight printed paper and provides a unique combination of high opacity, brightness and gloss not available when using other kaolin pigments. The novel pigment is specifically designed to replace plastic pigments and (or) titanium dioxide in coating formulations while maintaining or improving desired paper properties.

Abstract: This invention relates to paper filling pigments comprising novel mechanically delaminated kaolin particles having controlled narrow particle size distribution and shape. The pigments provide improved opacification compared to conventional and engineered kaolin particles in fine paper making.

Abstract: A selected kaolin crude or crude fraction is purified by physical or physical/chemical means, such as froth flotation and/or selective flocculation, to remove discrete particles of TiO.sub.2 and in some cases, discrete iron minerals. The pure (or purified clay) must then be agitated in the presence of water with a particulate grinding media such as, for example, sand, alumina or zirconia beads, to increase the 2 micron content of the kaolin. An intermediate ground product that contains a substantial weight percentage of particles finer than 1 micron is generated as a result of grinding. The particles finer than 1 micron in the ground kaolin also include those particles in the previously pure or purified kaolin that were present in the naturally occurring clay. A pulp of the ground clay is then fractionated to remove particles larger than 2 microns, e.g., to remove at least 95%, preferably at 100% by weight, of the particles larger than 2 microns, while minimizing the removal of particles finer than 1 micron.

Abstract: A selective flocculation process that uses a mixture of dispersants including soda ash to disperse a slimed ore pulp prior to conditioning with a fatty acid, salt and then a polymeric flocculating agent.

Abstract: Described is a process for separating a mixture of finely divided minerals into constituents thereof. In particular, the invention relates to a procedure for effecting such separation by a novel selective flocculation technique wherein a dispersed aqueous pulp containing the mixture of minerals is preconditioned for selective flocculation with an anionic polymer by addition of both a fatty acid such as oleic acid and source of polyvalent cation such as calcium chloride. The fatty acid and cation of the salt selectively coat the component of the mixture that is subsequently flocculated with the anionic polymer. A polyacrylate salt dispersant is preferably used in the process. The invention is especially adapted to the separation of colored titaniferous impurities from kaolin clay in which case both a white purified kaolin product and a strongly flocculated dun-colored titania/kaolin mixture are recovered and then dispersed producing a material useful as a paper coating pigment.

Abstract: An in situ process for making improved zeolitic fluid cracking catalyst by spray drying a mixture of hydrous kaolin, gibbsite and spinel, essentially free from metakaolin, calcining the resulting microspheres to convert the hydrous kaolin to metakaolin whereby the gibbsite is hydrothermally converted to a transitional alumina, and reacting the microspheres composed of a mixture of spinel, transitional alumina and metakaolin with a seeded alkaline sodium silicate solution.

Abstract: This invention relates to microspheres produced by spray drying clay slurries and calcining the product to form attrition resistant microspheres. Phosphoric acid is injected in a neutral to mildly alkaline dispersed high solids kaolin slurry immediately before spray drying to improve properties of the microspheres.

Abstract: A method for converting attapulgite clay which has never been heat treated sufficiently to destroy the natural colloidal properties of the clay to attrition resistant, low surface area, essentially catalytically inert particles adapted for use as a blending agent with particles of active zeolitic cracking catalyst. The clay, preferably mixed with an alkaline cementitious material (such as, for example, portland cement or sodium silicate) is sintered at a temperature above 1350.degree. F., preferably in the range of 1500.degree. F. to 1800.degree. F., to reduce surface area to a value below about 15 m.sup.2 /g, preferably below 5 m.sup.2 /g, and decrease apparent bulk density to a value below 1.1. The material is sized to form an essentially dustless, free flowing powder.

Abstract: Paper coating pigments comprising mechanically delaminated kaolin particles. The pigments possess the opacification, smoothness and printability advantages of conventional delaminated kaolin pigments but have desirably low viscosity and gloss not characteristic of conventional delaminated kaolin pigments. Crude kaolins of specified physical characteristics for production of these pigments by controlled delamination.

Abstract: An in situ process for making improved zeolitic fluid cracking catalyst by spray drying a mixture of hydrous kaolin and spinel, essentially free from metakaolin, calcining the resulting microspheres to convert the hydrous kaolin to metakaolin, and reacting microspheres composed of a mixture of spinel and metakaolin forms of calcined clay with a seeded alkaline sodium silicate solution. The weight percent of hydrous kaolin in the starting (uncalcined) microspheres is greater than the spinel content.

Abstract: The invention relates to novel metakaolin pigments which are characterized by a unique combination of exceptionally high brightness and exceptionally low abrasion along with the excellent hiding power equal to that achieved by premium conventional calcined kaolin pigments. The invention relates also to a method of producing such metakaolin pigments by subjecting relatively coarse high purity and high crystallinity kaolin booklets to highly intensive media grinding to generate fine kaolin particles of reduced crystallinity, and calcining the ground particles while limiting calcination temperature and time such as to form metakaolin.

Abstract: A process for reacting metallic iron with sulfur dioxide (SO.sub.2) gas in the presence of water and bleachable matter, especially iron-contaminated kaolin clay, whereby the kaolin or the like is bleached in situ and the viscosity of the kaolin is less than it would be if bleached in a conventional manner.

Abstract: Crystalline molecular sieves containing octahedral sites such as the sieves known as ETS-4, ETS-10 and ETAS-10 are used to remove volatile organic compounds from a mixture of the same with moist air at ambient temperature.

Abstract: An improved method for improving the brightness of clay of the type that is capable of being bleached by an oxidative reagent such as Georgia gray kaolin. Such clay, in the form of a dispersed slurry, is treated with a combination of sodium silicate, sodium hypochlorite and ozone, most preferably followed by magnetic purification and a reduction bleach. Sodium hypochlorite is added shortly before ozonation.

Abstract: Particles of an interconnected three-dimensional network of bar-like topaz crystals are used as a reactant (with added silicon dioxide, or a mixture with added silicon dioxide and hydrated aluminum fluoride or added silicon dioxide, hydrated aluminum fluoride and alumina) to form mullite whisker honeycomb articles suitable as catalyst supports.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for reducing the inherent low shear viscosity of kaolin clays contaminated with expandable layer minerals. A water soluble tetraalkyl ammonium compound is contacted with the clay during conventional wet processing.

Abstract: Pigments in a form for bulk shipment are prepared by kneading dry pigment particles with a limited amount of water or an aqueous slurry of pigment particles to form dough-like, dust-free agglomerates which are shipped without subsequent drying and/or compaction.