Abstract: Disclosed are compositions, suitable for use in the purification of edible or inedible oils, of agglomerated particles of at least one minus ten micron bleaching clay, wherein said agglomerated particles are microspheres having an average diameter of at least about 10 microns as well as a process for preparing microspheres suitable for use as bleaching earths having improved filtration characteristics by agglomerating a mixture consisting ofi) at least one minus ten micron bleaching clay,ii) at least one liquid medium, andiii) at least one binder material,wherein said mixture is agglomerated under conditions which produce microspheres having an average diameter of greater than about 10 microns. Also disclosed is a process for purification of edible and inedible oils which comprises mixing one or more oils with the compositions described above and then physically removing said composition from the oil.