The invention relates to a method for producing particles of mineral material comprising grinding of at least one mineral material in the presence of water. The grinding according to the invention is carried out in the presence of at least one polymer obtained by a radical polymerization reaction of a partial sodium salt of itaconic acid and partial decarboxylation of the polymer obtained followed by partial or total neutralization of the decarboxylated polymer. The invention also relates to an aqueous composition comprising particles of ground mineral material and such a polymer, in particular a mass-loading composition for the production of paper or a paper-coating-colour composition.

A method is described of using a surface-reacted calcium carbonate as an extrusion aid for the production of a puffed polysaccharide-based material, excluding fibrillated cellulose-containing materials. In embodiments, the surface-reacted calcium carbonate is a reaction product of ground natural calcium carbonate (GNCC) or precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) with carbon dioxide.

The present invention refers to a mineral matter powder preparation by wet process without acrylic additive or other grinding aid additives and to the use of said mineral matter after an optional hydrophobic treatment. Said mineral material having superior dispersing properties.

A process for treating a sulfurous fluid to form gypsum and magnesium carbonate, whereby the sulfurous fluid is scrubbed with a sequestrating agent to yield a scrubbed fluid, gypsum and magnesium sulfate. The flue gas desulfurized gypsum is isolated from the magnesium sulfate solution by filtration or centrifugation. The magnesium sulfate is reacted with a carbonate salt to produce a magnesium carbonate whereby the reaction conditions are controlled to control the properties of the magnesium carbonate produced.

The present invention relates to a process for the manufacturing of a calcium carbonate-comprising material, a calcium carbonate-comprising material obtained by a process as well as the use of the calcium carbonate-comprising material for paper filler and paper coating applications, cigarette paper applications, for plastics applications or in paints, coatings, adhesives, replacement of titanium dioxide, preferably in paints, sealants, food, feed, pharma, concrete, cement, cosmetic, water treatment and/or agriculture applications.

The present invention relates to a hydrophobic antimicrobial agent comprising a mineral material, which is surface coated with a copper and/or silver salt of at least one fatty acid, a method for its manufacture, wherein at least one fatty acid and at least one copper and/or silver salt are dissolved in a non-aqueous solvent, the solutions are combined, the copper and/or silver salt of the at east one fatty acid is precipitated by adding water, separated, and surface coated onto the mineral material. Furthermore, the present invention relates to the hydrophobic antimicrobial agent obtained by said method, the use thereof as a filler, products comprising the hydrophobic antimicrobial agent, and the use of a copper and/or silver salt of at least one fatty acid for surface coating a mineral material.

The present invention refers to a dry composition for chemical and physical sun protection, the composition comprising a) at least one calcium carbonate, and b) from 0.1 wt.-% to 100 wt.-%, based on the dry weight of the at least one calcium carbonate of step a) of at least one lignin. Furthermore, the present invention refers to a fluid composition comprising the inventive dry composition as well as to an emulsion comprising the inventive dry composition. The present invention also refers to the use of the inventive compositions for sun protection of plants and parts thereof as well as the use of the inventive emulsion for chemical and physical sun protection in a cosmetic formulation.

The present invention refers to the use of at least one mono-substituted succinic anhydride before or during extrusion of a polymer composition comprising polylactic acid as polymer component and at least one calcium carbonate-comprising material as filler, to reduce the polymer decomposition during processing and/or to decrease the melt flow rate of such an extruded polymer as well as a method for reducing the polymer decomposition during processing and decreasing the melt flow rate of a polymer composition comprising polylactic acid as polymer component and at least one calcium carbonate-comprising material as filler, the use of a polymer composition obtainable by a process comprising the steps of a) providing at least one polylactic acid as polymer component, b) providing at least one calcium carbonate-comprising material as filler, c) providing at least one mono-substituted succinic anhydride and d) contacting the components of a), b) and c) in any order and e) extruding the contacted components of step d) as well as an article comprising a polymer composition obtainable by the aforementioned process.

Provided is a surface-treated calcium carbonate that can make a vinyl chloride-based resin composition less colorable in a weathering test and excellent in impact strength. The surface-treated calcium carbonate is a calcium carbonate subjected to treatment with a surface treatment agent in which a proportion of saturated fatty acid contained in a fatty acid is 85% by mass or more, and has a content of elemental iron of 0.01% by mass or less, a content of elemental zinc of 0.1 to 2% by mass introduced by the treatment with the surface treatment agent, and a BET specific surface area of 5 to 30 m.sup.2/g.

A composition formed from a calcium or magnesium carbonate-including material and a surface-treatment composition including at least one cross-linkable compound, a dry process for the preparation of such a composition, a curable elastomer mixture comprising an elastomer resin and the composition, a cured elastomer product formed from the curable elastomer mixture, a process for preparing the cured elastomer product, the use of at least one cross-linkable compound including at least two functional groups, wherein at least one functional group is suitable for cross-linking an elastomer resin and wherein at least one functional group is suitable for reacting with the calcium or magnesium carbonate-including material in the compounding of an elastomer formed from an elastomer resin and at least one calcium or magnesium carbonate-comprising material as filler as well as an article formed from the cured elastomer product.