The change of specific surface during the grinding of alkaline-earth carbonates is depending on the lattice energy of these compounds. The maximum value reached by the specific surface area, before the particle aggregation begins, is higher the higher is the lattice energy of the salt. A mechanism has been proposed for explaining this behaviour that implies to assume that when the lattice energy increases, slipping of the lattice planes becomes more difficult and the fracture of the particles would be favoured with regards to the plastic deformation of the crystal. This model account for the changes observed for the activation energy and the enthalpy of the thermal decomposition of alkaline-earth carbonates as a function of grinding. (C) 2004 Kluwer Academic Publishers.