Minerals and methods for their production and use

A method for forming biocompatible and bioactive calcium phosphate comprising the steps of:

• preparing an aqueous solution of a phosphorous oxoacid and a calcium nitrate;
• heating the solution to a temperature of about 250° C. or below under conditions of temperature and pressure effective to initiate an oxidation-reduction reaction between the oxoacid and the calcium nitrate wherein a calcium phosphate salt precipitates from the solution;
• and
• heating the calcium phosphate salt to a temperature of about 500° C. or greater effective to form the calcium phosphate.

A method for making an alkaline earth phosphate comprising the steps of:

• providing an aqueous solution comprising at least one alkaline earth cation, at least one oxidizing agent, and at least one phosphite-containing anion oxidizable by said oxidizing agent to form a phosphate;
• initiating an oxidation-reduction reaction between said oxidizing agent and the phosphite-containing anion, said reaction evolving at least one gas and giving rise to a precursor solid, the oxidation-reduction reaction being maintained at a first temperature;
• heating the precursor solid to a second temperature greater than the first temperature for a time sufficient to provide the alkaline earth phosphate;
• and said alkaline earth phosphate comprised of crystallites having a crystal size of less than about 1 micron.