Abstract: Particulate ceramic precursor gel compositions (e.g., particulate silica gel) are formed by mechanically extruding a substantially monolithic, substantially undried ceramic precursor. gel through a screen using a mechanical force which is supplied substantially normal to the plane of the screen to directly form the particulate composition, collecting the extrudate in a substantially non-stacked configuration, and drying the extrudate, e.g., in a dryer without imposition of strong vacuum when the extrudate is in substantially nonlayered configuration, to substantially maintain its particle morphology.