Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the preparation of clay mineral-containing gels with stabilized structure and reversible water absorption ability.According to the invention an aqueous suspension containing a thixotropic, activated, swelling clay mineral of three-layer structure and/or a swelling chain silicate is treated with a water soluble polymer capable of reacting with the clay mineral and/or chain silicate, the clay mineral:polymer:water ratios are determined at which the resistance of medium of the resulting suspension is at least ten times higher than that of the initial, polymer-free suspension, and then the components are reacted with each other in the pre-determined ratios.