Abstract: Proposed is a method for the preparation of an aqueous slurry of calcium carbonate particles suitable as a base pigment in the preparation of a paper coating composition having excellent water retentivity and high solid concentration with good flowability, which contains precipitated and ground calcium carbonate particles in combination in a specified weight proportion and characterized by several parameters. The aqueous slurry is prepared in a process comprising the steps of: (a) subjecting an aqueous slurry or wet cake containing a specified amount of specific precipitated calcium carbonate particles to a primary dispersing treatment using a mixer to a specified extent; (b) admixing the aqueous slurry with a specified amount of specific ground calcium carbonate particles; (c) subjecting the aqueous slurry to a secondary dispersing treatment using a mixer to a specified extent; and (d) subjecting the aqueous slurry to a tertiary dispersing treatment using a sand grinder to a specified extent.

Abstract: A calcium-magnesium carbonate composite consisting of particles of calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate hydroxide and having excellent properties, for example, as a pigment for paper coating is proposed, which is a uniform blend of:(A) particles of calcium carbonate having a crystalline structure of aragonite with a columnar particle configuration having a length in the range from 0.5 to 3 .mu.m and a diameter in the range from 0.1 to 0.3 pm with an aspect ratio in the range from 5 to 15; and(B) particles of magnesium carbonate hydroxide having a plate-like particle configuration with a particle diameter in the range from 2 to 7 .mu.m and a thickness in the range from 0.05 to 0.5 .mu.m,the blend having an overall specific surface area in the range from 15 to 30 m.sup.2 /g and the weight proportion of the particles of calcium carbonate to the particles of magnesium carbonate hydroxide being in the range from 95:5 to 50:50 calculated as the respective hydroxides.