A polymeric flocculating material consists of a polymer chain containing the repeating unit <FORM:1084557/C3/1> where A is a hydrogen or alkali metal atom or an ammonium group, R1 and R2 are a C1- 4 alkyl, a cyclohexyl or a monocyclic aryl group, not more than one of R1 and R2 being aryl, or R1 and R2 taken together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached form a heteromonocyclic group, X is 2-6, R3 is a hydrogen or halogen atom or a C1- 4 alkyl group, R4 is a hydrogen or halogen atom, a C1- 4 alkyl or alkoxy group, a C1- 4 carbalkoxy or a acyloxy group, an aryl or haloaryl group, a carboxylic acid or carboxamide group or a group of general formula -CO-(CH2)xNR1R2 where R1, R2 and x are as before, R5 and R6\h are a hydrogen or halogen atom, a C1- 4 alkyl or a monocyclic aryl group, not more than one of R5 and R6 being an aryl group, and R7 is a hydrogen atom or a C1- 4 alkyl group, provided (a) that when A and R3 are both hydrogen atoms, R4 is a hydrogen or halogen atom, a C1- 2 alkyl or alkoxy group, a C1- 4 carbalkoxy or acyloxy group, a haloaryl, carboxylic acid or carboxamide group or a group of general formula last given above, and (b) that when A and R4 are both hydrogen atoms, R3 is a hydrogen or halogen atom or a methyl or ethyl group: and quaternary ammonium salts of such compounds. The polymers may be produced by treating a polymer consisting of the repeating unit <FORM:1084557/C3/2> where R3, R4, R5 and R6 are as before, with an amine of general formula HNR7-(CH2)x-NR1R2 where R1, R2, R7 and x are as before. In Examples (1) and (2) maleic anhydride and isobutylene were copolymerized in benzene using benzoyl peroxide as catalyst and the copolymer was reacted with dimethylaminopropylamine or diethylaminopropylamine to yield the half-amide; (3) maleic anhydride and styrene were copolymerized in trichloro-ethane using benzoyl peroxide as catalyst and the copolymer was then reacted as in (1) followed by treatment with ammonium hydroxide to form ammonium salts and/or half-amide half-ammonium salts; (4) an a -methyl styrene/maleic anhydride copolymer was reacted as in (3); (5) a vinyl acetate/maleic anhydride copolymer was reacted as in (3); (6) a vinyl ethyl ether/maleic anhydride copolymer was reacted as in (3); (7) a vinyl chloride/phenyl maleic anhydride was reacted as in (3); (8) and (9) propylene or ethylene/maleic anhydride copolymers were reacted as in (3); (10)-(12) and (17) isobutylene/maleic anhydride copolymers were reacted with N-(3-aminopropyl) morpholine, N-aminoethyl-morpholine, N-(3-diethylaminopropyl) amine and N-(2-diethylaminoethyl) amine respectively.ALSO:Particulate materials may be flocculated in aqueous suspensions, e.g. natural, sanitary and industrial waste liquids by dispersing therethrough up to 0.1% of a polymer which consists of a polymer chain containing the repeating unit <FORM:1084557/C1/1> where A is a hydrogen or alkali metal atom or an ammonium group, R1 and R2 are a C1- 4 alkyl, a cyclohexyl or a monocyclic aryl group, not more than one of R1 and R2 being aryl, or R1 and R2 taken together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached form a heteromonocyclic group, x is 2-6, R3 is a hydrogen or halogen atom or a C1- 4 alkyl group, R1 is a hydrogen or halogen atom, a C1- 4 alkyl or alkoxy group, a C1- 4 carbalkoxy or a cyloxy group, an aryl or haloaryl group, a carboxylic acid or carboxamide group or a group of general formula -CO-(CH2)xNR1R2, where R1, R2 and x are as before, R5 and R6 are a hydrogen or halogen atom, a C1- 4 alkyl or a monocyclic aryl group, not more than one of R5 and R6 being an aryl group, and R7 is a hydrogen atom or a C1- 4 alkyl group, provided (a) that when A and R3 are both hydrogen atoms, R4 is a hydrogen or halogen atom, a C1- 2 alkyl or alkoxy group, a C1- 4 carbalkoxy or a cyloxy group, a haloaryl, carboxylic acid or carboxamide group or a group of general formula last given above, and (b) that when A and R4 are both hydrogen atoms, R3 is a hydrogen or halogen atom or a methyl or ethyl group: and quaternary ammonium salts of such compounds. The Specification also refers to the flocculation of pigment, coal, silt and clay suspensions and dewatering of ore slimes.ALSO:White paper, free from electrolytes and suspended particles, is obtained by adding a polymeric flocculating material to a paper machine beater, prior to or after the addition of size or filler. The polymeric flocculant consists of a polymer chain containing the repeating unit <FORM:1084557/D1-D2/1> where A is a hydrogen or alkali metal atom or an ammonium group, R1 and R2 are a C1-4 alkyl, a cyclohexyl or a mono cyclic aryl group, not more than one of R1 and R2 being aryl or R1 and R2 taken together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached form a heteromonocyclic group, x is 2 - 6, R3 is a hydrogen or halogen atom or a C1-4 alkyl group, R4 is a hydrogen or halogen atom, a C1-4 alkyl or alkoxy group, a C1-4 carboalkoxy or a cyloxy group, an aryl or haloaryl group, a carboxylic acid or carbox amide group, or a group of general formula -CO-(CH2)x N R1 R2 where R1 R2 and x are as before, R5 and R6 are a hydrogen or halogen atom, a C1-4 alkyl or a mono cyclic aryl group, not more than one of R5 and R6 being an aryl group, and R7 is a hydrogen atom or a C1-4 alkyl group, provided (a) that when A and R3 are both hydrogen atoms, R4 is a hydrogen or halogen atom, a C1-2 alkyl or alkoxy group, a C1-4 carboalkoxy or acyloxyl group, a haloaryl, carboxylic acid or carboxamide group or a group of general formula last given above, and (b) that when A and R4 are both hydrogen atoms, R3 is a hydrogen or halogen atom or a methyl or ethyl group: and quaternary ammonium salts of such compounds.