Abstract: Goethite is obtained by reacting an aqueous solution of an iron (II) salt with an aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide and oxidizing the resulting iron(II) hydroxide. The oxidation is carried out in three stages. In the first stage, from 4 to 15% by weight are oxidized in the course of from 0.4 to 5 hours, in the second stage from 60 to 85% by weight are oxidized in the course of from 1.5 to 6 hours and in a third stage the remaining amount of iron is oxidized.

Abstract: A process for the manufacture of acicular gamma-iron(III) oxide which, because of its improved dispersibility in organic binders, is suitable for the manufacture of magnetic recording media exhibiting a particularly high orientation ratio. For this purpose, the non-magnetic acicular .alpha.-iron(III) oxide or goethite pigment is treated with from 0.5 to 10% by weight, based on the pigment, of a compound of the formula I: ##STR1## where R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are hydrogen, alkyl of 1 to 24 carbon atoms or alkenyl of 1 to 24 carbon atoms and (RX).sup.- is selected from the group consisting of an aliphatic carboxylic acid of 1 to 18 carbon atoms, an aromatic carboxylic acid of 1 to 18 carbon atoms, a sulfonic acid and an ester of phosphoric acid and is then further processed by conventional methods to give gamma-iron(III) oxide.