The present invention relates to the use of salt-like structured silicates, in which the cation is NH.sub.4.sup.+, H.sub.3O.sup.+, an alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, earth metal or transition metal ion or a low molecular weight organic cation or a combination thereof and the anion is an island, cyclic, group, chain, ribbon, laminar or matrix silicate or a combination thereof as charge control agents in electrophotographic toners and developers, in powder coatings, electret materials and in electrostatic separation processes.