Results emerging from the several studies recently performed to provide fundamental understanding of the interplay between mineral pulp chemistry, flocculation performance, particle interactions, role of applied shear and dewaterability of model colloidal kaolinite and smectite dispersions are presented and discussed. Beneficial links between pulp interfacial chemistry (particle zeta potential), particle interactions (shear yield stress) and beneficial dewatering behaviour (batch settling rate and sediment solid loading), established through the influence of hydrolyzable metal ions, pH, temperature, high molecular weight polymer structure type (anionic polyacrylamide vs non-ionic polyethylene oxide) and shear, are shown. The application of the findings and new knowledge gained for a marked improvement in clay pulp dewaterability is discussed. (C) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.