Minerals (e.g. silica- or silicate-based minerals) having good oil- and/or water-absorption capacities and/or good flowability, mineral composites comprising first and second mineral components having good oil- and/or water-absorption capacities and/or good flowability, methods of making said minerals and mineral composites and the uses of said minerals and mineral composites, for example in animal feed or fertilizer compositions.

A grease containment device for an exhaust fan is provided. The device includes an outer housing and an inner housing. The outer housing defines an interior receptacle, a first end surface, and a second end surface opposing the first end surface. The first end surface includes an inlet to the interior receptacle for grease from the exhaust fan, and the second end surface includes a sloped drainage surface leading to at least one drainage opening. The inner housing is located within the interior receptacle and includes a quantity of grease absorbent media in communication with the inlet. The grease absorbent media is hydrophobic, and the inner housing includes a porous portion proximate the sloped drainage surface.

A composite filter aid may include diatomaceous earth, natural glass, and a precipitated silica binder, wherein the filter aid has a permeability ranging from 3 to 20 darcys. A composite filter aid may include diatomaceous earth, perlite, and a precipitated silica binder, wherein the filter aid has an alpha density less than 15 lbs/ft.sup.3. A method for making a composite material may include blending diatomaceous earth and perlite, adding alkali silicate to the blended diatomaceous earth and perlite, and precipitating the alkali silicate as a binder to make the composite material. A method for filtering a beverage may include using a composite filter aid and/or composite material.

A promoted activated carbon sorbent is described that is highly effective for the removal of mercury from flue gas streams. The sorbent comprises a new modified carbon form containing reactive forms of halogen and halides. Optional components may be added to increase reactivity and mercury capacity. These may be added directly with the sorbent, or to the flue gas to enhance sorbent performance and/or mercury capture. Mercury removal efficiencies obtained exceed conventional methods. The sorbent can be regenerated and reused. Sorbent treatment and preparation methods are also described. New methods for in-flight preparation, introduction, and control of the active sorbent into the mercury contaminated gas stream are described.

Litter compositions comprising a blend of compacted granules comprising expanded perlite fines and coated granules, each coated granule comprising a non-agglomerated particle and a coating comprising a clumping agent on an outer surface of the particle are disclosed herein.

A filter aid may include acid-washed diatomaceous earth having high purity, and perlite. A method of making a high purity filter aid may include acid washing diatomaceous earth to reduce the h in the diatomaceous earth, and combining the acid-washed diatomaceous earth with high purity perlite to obtain to obtain a high purity filter aid. A method of reducing extractable metals from diatomaceous earth may include washing the diatomaceous earth in a first acid, rinsing the diatomaceous earth, and washing the diatomaceous earth in a second acid. The first acid may include an inorganic acid having a first strength, and the second acid may include an organic acid having a second strength different than the first strength. A method of filtering a beverage may include passing the beverage through a filter including a filter aid including acid-washed diatomaceous earth having high purity, and perlite.

A promoted activated carbon sorbent is described that is highly effective for the removal of mercury from flue gas streams. The sorbent comprises a new modified carbon form containing reactive forms of halogen and halides. Optional components may be added to increase reactivity and mercury capacity. These may be added directly with the sorbent, or to the flue gas to enhance sorbent performance and/or mercury capture. Mercury removal efficiencies obtained exceed conventional methods. The sorbent can be regenerated and reused. Sorbent treatment and preparation methods are also described. New methods for in-flight preparation, introduction, and control of the active sorbent into the mercury contaminated gas stream are described.

A promoted carbon and/or non-carbon base sorbent are described that are highly effective for the removal of mercury from flue gas streams. The promoted sorbent comprises a carbon and/or non-carbon base sorbent that has reacted with and contains forms of halogen and halides. Optional components may be added to increase and/or preserve reactivity and mercury capacity. These may be added directly with the base sorbent, or in-flight within a gas stream (air, flue gas, etc.), to enhance base sorbent performance and/or mercury capture. Mercury removal efficiencies obtained exceed conventional methods. The promoted sorbent can be regenerated and reused. Base sorbent treatment and preparation methods are also described. New methods for in-flight preparation, introduction, and control of the active base sorbent into the mercury contaminated gas stream are described.

A filter aid composition may include an acid-treated composite silicate. The composite silicate comprises a silicate substrate and a precipitated silica. A method for making a filter aid composition may include providing a silicate substrate, precipitating a silica onto the silicate substrate to form a composite silicate, and treating the composite silicate with an acid to form an acid-treated composite silicate. A method for filtering a non-aqueous liquid may include providing a non-aqueous liquid for filtering and filtering the non-aqueous liquid through an acid-treated composite silicate. The composite silicate may include a silicate substrate and a precipitated silica. A filter aid may include an acid-treated composite diatomite. The acid-treated composite diatomite may include a diatomite substrate and a precipitated silica gel coating. The precipitated silica may be a precipitated ilica gel.

A promoted activated carbon sorbent is described that is highly effective for the removal of mercury from flue gas streams. The sorbent comprises a new modified carbon form containing reactive forms of halogen and halides. Optional components may be added to increase reactivity and mercury capacity. These may be added directly with the sorbent, or to the flue gas to enhance sorbent performance and/or mercury capture. Mercury removal efficiencies obtained exceed conventional methods. The sorbent can be regenerated and reused. Sorbent treatment and preparation methods are also described. New methods for in-flight preparation, introduction, and control of the active sorbent into the mercury contaminated gas stream are described.