Preparation of magadiite

Claim 1

In the method for preparing magadiite or an alkali metal form of magadiite from an aqueous reaction mixture containing an alkali metal hydroxide and a source of silica oxide, the improvement which comprises adding to said aqueous reaction mixture a promoter selected from the group consisting of a hydrocarbon substituted urea and hydrocarbon substituted amide or mixtures thereof wherein the hydrocarbon substituted urea has the formula: ##STR3## wherein R 2 and R 3 are the same or different and each is H, lower alkyl of 1 to 5 carbon atoms or R 2 and R 3 together with the nitrogen to which they are attached form an alkylene group containing 4 to 7 carbon atoms which may be interrupted by an O, S or N atom; R 4 and R 5 are the same or different and each is H, lower alkyl of 1 to 5 carbon atoms or R 4 and R 5 together with the nitrogen to which they are attached form an alkylene group containing 4 to 7 carbon atoms which may be interrupted by an O, S or N atom, with the proviso that R 2 , R 3 R 4 and R 5 cannot all be hydrogen at the same time, the hydrocarbon substituted amide has the formula: ##STR4## wherein R 6 and R 7 are H or lower alkyl containing 1 to 5 carbon atoms or R 6 or R 7 together with the nitrogen to which they are attached form an alkylene group containing 4 to 7 carbon atoms which may be interrupted by an O, S or N atom, with the proviso that both R 6 and R 7 cannot be hydrogen at the same time.