The present invention provides: a ferrite particle containing a crystal phase component containing a perovskite crystal represented by the compositional formula RZrO.sub.3 (where R is an alkaline earth metal element); and an electrophotographic developer carrier core material, an electrophotographic developer carrier, and an electrophotographic developer containing the ferrite particles.

Provided are a ferrite carrier core material for an electrophotographic developer having a full length L.sub.1 of grain boundary and a circumference length L.sub.2 of the core material in a cross-section of the core material, and satisfying a relationship of 2≤L.sub.1/L.sub.2≤9; a carrier for an electrophotographic developer including the ferrite carrier core material and a coating layer containing a resin provided on a surface of the ferrite carrier core material; and an electrophotographic developer including the carrier and a toner.

To provide a magnetic core material and carrier for electrophotographic developer, which have small environmental dependence of the electric resistance, can suppress the carrier scattering, and can stably provide good images; a developer contains the carrier; and methods for producing them. The magnetic core material satisfying a value of Formula (1): a+b×10+c+d+e+f, being from 20 to 150, when a fluoride ion amount is denoted by a (ppm), a chloride ion amount is denoted by b (ppm), a bromide ion amount is denoted by c (ppm), a nitrite ion amount is denoted by d (ppm), a nitrate ion amount is denoted by e (ppm), and a sulfate ion amount is denoted by f (ppm), which are measured by a combustion ion chromatography method.

The present invention relates to a carrier core material for electrophotographic developer, having a ferrite composition and having a supernatant transmittance of 85.0% or more, a method for producing the carrier core material, a carrier for electrophotographic developer, containing the carrier core material, and a developer containing the carrier.

A carrier for forming an electrophotographic image is provided. The carrier includes a core particle comprising a manganese-based ferrite particle having an apparent density of from 2.0 to 2.2 g/cm.sup.3 and a magnetization of from 44 to 52 emu/g in a magnetic field of 500 Oe; and a coating layer coating a surface of the core particle. The coating layer contains a carbon black, an inorganic particle A, and an inorganic particle B. The inorganic particle A and the carbon black each have a concentration gradient in a thickness direction of the coating layer. A concentration of the inorganic particle A increases toward a surface of the coating layer, and a concentration of the carbon black decreases toward the surface of the coating layer.

An electrostatic charge image developing carrier includes: magnetic particles; and a resin layer coating the magnetic particles and containing inorganic particles, in which an average particle diameter of the inorganic particles is 5 nm or more and 90 nm or less, an average thickness of the resin layer is 0.6 μm or more and 1.4 μm or less, and a ratio B/A of a surface area B of the electrostatic charge image developing carrier to a plan view area A of the electrostatic charge image developing carrier is 1.020 or more and 1.100 or less when a surface of the electrostatic charge image developing carrier is three-dimensionally analyzed.

An electrostatic charge image developing carrier includes: magnetic particles; and a resin layer coating the magnetic particles and containing inorganic particles, in which an exposed area ratio of the magnetic particles is 0.1% or more and 4.0% or less, an average particle diameter of the inorganic particles is 5 nm or more and 90 nm or less, and a ratio B/A of a surface area B of the electrostatic charge image developing carrier to a plan view area A of the electrostatic charge image developing carrier is 1.020 or more and 1.100 or less when a surface of the electrostatic charge image developing carrier is three-dimensionally analyzed.

According to the present invention, there is provided a carrier core material that is formed of ferrite particles in which 48 to 52 mass % of Fe, 16 to 22 mass % of Mn, 1.0 to 3.5 mass % of Mg and 0.05 to 0.5 mass % of Ca are included, and when an electrical resistance value with an applied voltage of 500 V in an environment (in an L/L environment) in which the temperature is 10° C. and the relative humidity is 35% is R.sub.L (Ω.Math.cm), and an electrical resistance value with an applied voltage of 500 V in an environment (in an H/H environment) in which the temperature is 30° C. and the relative humidity is 70% is R.sub.H (Ω.Math.cm), formula (1) below is satisfied.

0.1≤(log R.sub.L−log R.sub.H)≤0.3  (1)

Provided are a magnetic core material for electrophotographic developer and a carrier for electrophotographic developer, which are excellent in charge characteristics and strength and with which a satisfactory image free from defects can be obtained, and a developer containing the carrier. A magnetic core material for electrophotographic developer, having a sulfur component content of from 50 to 700 ppm in terms of a sulfate ion and a BET specific surface area of from 0.06 to 0.25 m.sup.2/g.

Provided are a magnetic core material for electrophotographic developer and a carrier for electrophotographic developer, which are excellent in charging characteristics and strength with low specific gravity and with which a satisfactory image free of defects can be obtained, and a developer containing the carrier. A magnetic core material for electrophotographic developer, having a sulfur component content of from 60 to 800 ppm in terms of a sulfate ion and a pore volume of from 30 to 100 mm.sup.3/g.