The present invention relates to a method of making a monolith having a plurality of channels extending therethrough, the method comprising,

providing a suspension of polymer-coated particles in a first solvent;

extruding the suspension from a primary orifice, while passing one or more second solvents from a plurality of secondary orifices arranged within the first orifice, into a third solvent, whereby a monolith precursor is formed from the polymer and particles,

and sintering the monolith precursor to form a monolith.

The present invention relates to lightweight high strength microsphere containing ceramic particles having controlled microsphere placement and/or size and microsphere morphology, which produces an improved balance of specific gravity and crush strength such that they can be used in applications such as proppants to prop open subterranean formation fractions. Proppant formulations are further disclosed which use one or more microsphere containing ceramic particles of the present invention. Methods to prop open subterranean formation fractions are further disclosed. In addition, other uses for the microsphere containing ceramic particles of the present invention are further disclosed, as well as methods of making the microsphere containing ceramic particles.