Process for the manufacture of filamentary abrasive particles

A process for producing filamentary abrasive particles which comprises the steps of (i) forcing by means of a forcing means a gel of an aqueous dispersion of an abrasive material through an orifice and through a multiplicity of perforations in a continuous belt loop which moves across and in tight register with said orifice at a substantially constant rate to form filamentary particles which are sufficiently sticky that the particles would stick together if brought in contact with each other and remain attached to said belt loop and move with the belt loop, (ii) treating said filamentary particles while adhered to the belt loop to render them non-sticky to each other, (iii) removing the treated filamentary particles from the belt loop, and (iv) firing the treated filamentary particles to form filamentary abrasive particles, and wherein the portion of the belt loop from which the dried filamentary particles are removed thereafter passing through a cleaning means for removing any abrasive material from the belt loop before that portion of the belt loop again passes by the forcing means.