Abstract: A coating composition for paper and other substrates, particularly mechanical papers such as lightweight coated (LWC) paper, comprises an aqueous suspension of a particulate pigment together with a binder, wherein the particulate pigment comprises: (a) a first component which is a precipitated calcium carbonate consisting predominantly of aragonitic or rhombohedral particle shapes or of aragonitic and rhombohedral particle shapes in a weight ratio of between around 40:60 and about 60:40 (e.g.

Abstract: There is disclosed an aqueous paper coating composition which comprises at least 45% by weight of a particulate pigment dispersed with a dispersing agent, and an adhesive; characterized in that said dispersing agent comprises an anionic polyelectrolyte and a cationic polyelectrolyte, the cationic polyelectrolyte being present in an amount sufficient to render the particles cationic, in that said adhesive is a cationic or non-ionic adhesive and in that said particulate pigment is one which is not capable of being dispersed in water at high solids, and following vigorous mixing, in the sole presence of said cationic polyelectrolyte. Also disclosed is a method for making the paper coating composition, a method for coating a paper with a paper coating composition and the resulting coated paper. The coated paper of the invention is particularly suited to recycling.