Thiele Kaolin Company

Chris B Maxwell

Prakash B Malla

Lee Ann Arrington-Webb

Amy C Semratedu

Cesar I Basilio

Robert A Lowe

Zhenzhong Zhang

Haydn H Murray

Calcined kaolin clay pigments having improved color are manufactured by adding a blue agent to the kaolin clay pigment prior to calcination, and then calcining the pigment and blue agent mixture.

Calcined kaolin clay pigments having improved color and process for the manufacture thereof

Kaolin clay agglomerates having improved bulk density, improved rheological properties and good optical properties are provided by mixing calcined kaolin clay, hydrous kaolin clay and water and then subjecting the mixture to high pressure in a compaction system.

Kaolin clay agglomerates and process for the manufacture thereof

A improved process for beneficiating kaolin clays to remove discoloring impurities is disclosed. The beneficiation of kaolin clay is improved by fractionating a kaolin clay starting material into a lower brightness first fraction having a majority of the discoloring impurities and a higher brightness second fraction with less impurities. The first fraction is then beneficiated (such as by flotation, selection flocculation, high intensity magnetic separation and/or leaching) to produce a kaolin clay product with improved optical properties. The first and second fractions may be combined to produce a product with improved optical properties.

Process for beneficiating kaolin clays

Fine-grained kaolin clays having improved brightness can be produced by (a) using centrifugation to fractionate the clay starting material into finer and coarser fractions, (b) subjecting the coarser fraction to flotation to remove discoloring impurities and (c) combining the finer and floated coarser fractions to produce fine-grained kaolin clays having improved brightness.

Process for improving the brightness of fine-grained kaolin clays

A process for intercalating potassium acetate molecules in kaolin clay particles to achieve delamination has been developed by mixing kaolin clay particles, potassium acetate and water. A maximum intercalation, and hence a maximum degree of delamination, can be achieved with potassium acetate levels between 10% and 75% by weight, based on the weight of kaolin clay particles, and 5% and 50% water by weight, based on the weight of potassium acetate.

Kaolin-potassium acetate intercalation complex and process of forming

An opacifying kaolin pigment with improved porosity, light scattering ability (opacity), gloss, and ink receptivity over that of the starting pigment is manufactured by a process which comprises the steps of treating an aqueous solution of kaolin with a phosphate compound, using the endogenous aluminum leached from kaolin and/or adding a soluble aluminum compound and increasing the pH of the mixture.

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Evans, GA, United States of America

Chris B Maxwell