A silica-based particulate material that may contain less than 5 wt. % of a multivalent cation and a method of preparing such a silica-based particulate material. The silica-based particulate material may be characterized as having a median particle size of at least 20 .mu.m, a BET surface area of at least 90 m.sup.2/g, and a pH of at least 9.5; or as having a median particle size of up to 20 .mu.m and a pH of at least 10. The silica-based particulate material may be used to make hydrophobic silica-based particulates, which may be characterized as having a pH of at least 10.5.