Abstract: A method of making magnesium hydroxide may include calcining a mineral source of magnesium carbonate to form magnesium oxide, and slaking the magnesium oxide in water. When the mineral source of magnesium carbonate further includes a mineral source of calcium carbonate, the calcination may be carried out such that less than about 20 wt % calcium oxide is formed following calcining and prior to slaking in water.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for preparing particulate brucite comprising grinding and beneficiating particulate brucite wherein the ground beneficiated particulate brucite has a d90 of less than or equal to about 6.4 ?m as measured by laser light scattering.

Abstract: The invention provides the use of near infra-red (NIR) spectroscopy as an analysis, control and/or monitoring aid in the industrial processing of inorganic particulate materials such as hydrous kaolin, calcined kaolin, chemically aggregated kaolin, feldspar, silica, magnesia, aluminium silicate, calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, etc. A physical or chemical property of interest (e.g. the amount of stearic acid or dispersant coated on the particles) is assessed using the NIR spectrum, by reference to data (e.g. calibration data obtained from an analagous material) relating the NIR spectrum of the inorganic particulate material to the physical or chemical property of interest.