TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Method: The leaching of the phyllosilicate includes treating with an acid to remove at least part of its alumina content thereby forming the acid leached phyllosilicate preparation; or treating with a base to remove at least part of its silica content thereby forming the base leached phyllosilicate preparation. The resulting catalyst is a mixed metal oxide or a spinel. The step of calcining involves heating the leached phyllosilicate preparation at 200-1000 degrees C. The step of modifying further involves rehydrating the treated phyllosilicate prior to contact with the suspension containing metal ions. The shaping step involves spray drying the mixture to form microsphere particles for biomass catalytic cracking, where the microspheres are prepared in the presence of binders. The phyllosilicate is delaminated prior to the leaching step. In the method, the phyllosilicate is kaolinite, and the step of modifying further comprises delaminating the kaolinite. Preferred Components: The phyllosilicate is selected from smectite, bentonite, montmorillonite, beidellite and/or kaolinite. The smectite is a non-swelling smectite. The leaching of the phyllosilicate includes treating with an acid selected from nitric acid, hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, acetic acid, oxalic acid or formic acid. The metal ions are trivalent, divalent or monovalent cations. The divalent cations are selected from Mg, Ca, Zn, Ba, Mn, Co, Mo, Ni, Cu and/or Sr. The trivalent cations are selected from Al, Ga, Bi, Fe, Cr, Co, Sc, La and/or Ce. The monovalent cations are selected from Na and/or K. The inorganic materials are selected from zeolites, metals, metal salts, metal oxides, hydroxides, hydroxyl carbonates, phosphates, synthetic clays, equilibrium cracking catalysts, fly ash, or cement flint. The zeolite is ion-exchanged with different metal ions. The zeolite is ion-exchanged with ammonium ions, where the zeolite is ion-exchanged with one or two different rare earth ions. The binder is selected from sodium silicate, silica, silica alumina, alumina, or phosphate (preferably phosphates). EXAMPLE - A catalyst was prepared as follows: slurry was prepared by mixing sodium silicate (5 wt.% SiO2) with kaolinite clay (75%) and dispersing agent (0.3 wt.% tetrasodium pyrophosphate based on the weight of kaolinite). To this slurry, MgO (15%)/Al2O3 (5%) (mole ratio of 7.5) was added. The resulting slurry (40% solids) was spray dried to produce microspheres catalyst with an average particle size of 70-80 microns. These catalyst was then calcined at 1000 degrees F.