Process for manufacturing aqueous suspensions of mineral materials or dried mineral materials, the obtained products, as well as uses thereof

An aqueous mineral material obtained by the process comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing at least one mineral material comprising calcium carbonate in the form of an aqueous suspension or in dry form,
• (b) providing at least one partially or totally lithium-neutralized water-soluble polyacrylic acid, wherein the molar rate of lithium neutralized acid groups is 50% to 100% and the molar rate of non-lithium neutralized acid groups is 50% to 0%, so that 100% of the acid groups of the water-soluble polyacrylic acid are neutralized;
• and
• (c) grinding and/or dispersing and/or upconcentrating the at least one mineral matter of step (a) in the presence of from 0.05 wt % to 1 wt %, relative to the total dry mineral material, of the at least one partially or totally lithium-neutralized water-soluble organic polyacrylic acid of step (b) in water to obtain an aqueous mineral material comprising calcium carbonate and the at least one partially or totally lithium-neutralized water-soluble polyacrylic acid,
• wherein the aqueous mineral material so obtained has a final solids content of 60 to 81 wt. % and a Brookfield viscosity of less than 200 mPa·S after 1 minute of stirring at a rotation speed of 100 rpm at room temperature, when measured one hour after production of the aqueous mineral material and after eight days of unstirred storage of the aqueous mineral material.