Abstract: A process for beneficiating a poor grade crude kaloinitic clay mineral to produce a clay filler for use in papermaking to improve the brightness of the paper product. The crude kaolin clay is blunged with water containing a dispersing agent to form a high solids fluid aqueous clay suspension. This clay suspension is then screened and fractionated to reduce the particle size thereof to 92-95% finer than 2 microns. The fractionated clay suspension is treated with an alkaline leaching solution containing a reducing agent effective in converting ferric ions to ferrous ions and, preferably, a water-soluble anionic phosphate. The leached clay suspension, which has a solids content of at least 55%, is then treated with an oxidizing agent to oxidize unreacted leaching agent and byproducts formed during the leaching process.

Abstract: An organoclay-antiozonant complex suitable for incorporating in rubber formulations as an additive to inhibit and retard ozone attack is formed by complexing a substituted paraphenylenediamine antiozonant with an organoclay having been produced by treating a smectite-containing clay with a quaternary amine. The organoclay-antiozonant complex is preferably incorporated into the rubber formulation by first mixing the prepared organoclay-antiozonant complex with a naphthenic oil and a polar solvent to form a paste which is then added to the rubber formulation.

Abstract: An organoclay functional as a rheological modifier for control of the viscosity and thixotropy of polyester-styrene compositions is prepared by a dry process wherein a quaternary ammonium salt is reacted with unfractionated smectite in an aqueous dispersion thereby eliminating the fractionating step required in the typical prior art wet process as exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 4,240,951 and permitting the preparation of the organoclay rheological modifier to be carried out at a high solids content thereby reducing drying costs in the recovery of the product organoclay.

Abstract: An organically modified smectite is produced by reacting unfractionated pulverized bentonite with an aqueous dispersion or solution of a methyl benzyl dialkyl ammonium halide salt via cation exchange. The product organoclay is equivalent in quality to a "wet" processed organoclay, and has particular utility as an ingredient in forming invert emulsion drilling mud for enhancing the rheological properties of the mud. An invert emulsion drilling mud derived from an organoclay produced by the method of the present invention will have a viscosity of at least seventy (70) centipoise at 26 C and a 10-second gel strength at 26 C of at least thirty (30) pounds per 100 square feet.

Abstract: A method of processing naturally occurring kaolin clay wherein ion exchange resins are utilized to remove charged soluble impurities from the clay thereby eliminating the filtration step required in conventional clay beneficiation process. Further, by saturating the ion exchange resin utilized with a bleaching agent, ferric ions in the clay will be reduced to soluble ferrous ions and removed from the clay without the conventional acid leaching.

Abstract: A method and composition for control of rheological properties of polyester-styrene resin compositions is provided in which a smectite is reacted with a quaternary ammonium salt to provide a desired level of quaternary ammonium salt thereon and the treated smectite is added to a polyester-styrene resin mixture to produce a desired level of viscosity.