Method for the production of precipitated calcium carbonate with a high degree of brightness

1. A process for the preparation of calcium carbonate with high brightness by reductive bleaching by means of one sulfinic and/or sulfonic acid derivative, which comprises treating calcium carbonate and/or the milk of lime used for its preparation by reacting milk of lime with carbon dioxide, and/or at least one of the calcium-containing preliminary products used for the preparation of the milk of lime before, during and/or after this reaction with a bleaching agent which comprises at least one compound of the formula (I):

A[(CR 1 R 2 )SO p M (1/q) ] r   (I)

where the variables have the following meanings:

A

is NR 3 R 4 , NR 3 , N or OH;

R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 ,

independently of one another, are hydrogen or

an organic radical;

M

is ammonium or metal

p

is 2 or 3;

q

is the valency of M; and

r

is 1 when A = OH or NR 3 R 4 , is 2 when A = NR 3

and is 3 when A = N;.

and where variables, if a mixture of compounds is used and/or r=2 or 3, are chosen independently of one another for each individual compound and/or for each [(CR 1 R 2 )SO p M (1/q) ] group.

2. A process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the bleaching agent is added to the milk of lime prior to its reaction with carbon dioxide.

3. A process as claimed in claim 2 , wherein bleaching agents are added both to the milk of lime prior to its reaction with carbon dioxide, and also to the calcium carbonate suspension prepared by the reaction of milk of lime with carbon dioxide.

4. A process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the amount of bleaching agent added is such that at least 0.1 gram of compound or mixture of compounds of the formula (I) are used per kilogram of calcium carbonate.

5. A process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the treatment with bleaching agent is carried out at a temperature in the range from at least 50 to at most 90° C.