A method for making a cation exchange composition comprising a zirconium silicate, the method comprising: providing a reaction mixture comprising a reactive source of zirconium, silicon, optionally one or more M metal, at least one alkali metal and water in a reactor; agitating the reaction mixture with an agitator in the presence of one or more baffle-like structures with an agitation speed of 307 rpm; and obtaining the cation exchange composition from the reactor, wherein the cation exchange comprises a zirconium silicate of formula: A p M x Zr 1-x Si n Ge y O m where A is a potassium ion, sodium ion, rubidium ion, cesium ion, calcium ion, magnesium ion, hydronium ion or mixtures thereof, M is at least one framework metal, wherein the framework metal is hafnium (4+), tin (4+), niobium (5+), titanium (4+), cerium (4+), germanium (4+), praseodymium (4+), terbium (4+) or mixtures thereof, "p" has a value from 1 to 20, "x" has a value from 0 to less than 1, "n" has a value from 0 to 12, "y" has a value 0 to 12, "m" has a value from 3 to 36 and 1 ≤ n + y ≤ 12, wherein the zirconium silicate exhibits a volume weighted mean particle size between 5 and 20 microns wherein less than 10% of the particles have a size below 5 microns and less than 10% of the particles have a size above 25 microns. providing a reaction mixture comprising a reactive source of zirconium, silicon, optionally one or more M metal, at least one alkali metal and water in a reactor; agitating the reaction mixture with an agitator in the presence of one or more baffle-like structures with an agitation speed of 307 rpm; and obtaining the cation exchange composition from the reactor, wherein the cation exchange comprises a zirconium silicate of formula: A p M x Zr 1-x Si n Ge y O m where A is a potassium ion, sodium ion, rubidium ion, cesium ion, calcium ion, magnesium ion, hydronium ion or mixtures thereof, M is at least one framework metal, wherein the framework metal is hafnium (4+), tin (4+), niobium (5+), titanium (4+), cerium (4+), germanium (4+), praseodymium (4+), terbium (4+) or mixtures thereof, "p" has a value from 1 to 20, "x" has a value from 0 to less than 1, "n" has a value from 0 to 12, "y" has a value 0 to 12, "m" has a value from 3 to 36 and 1 ≤ n + y ≤ 12, wherein the zirconium silicate exhibits a volume weighted mean particle size between 5 and 20 microns wherein less than 10% of the particles have a size below 5 microns and less than 10% of the particles have a size above 25 microns. A is a potassium ion, sodium ion, rubidium ion, cesium ion, calcium ion, magnesium ion, hydronium ion or mixtures thereof, M is at least one framework metal, wherein the framework metal is hafnium (4+), tin (4+), niobium (5+), titanium (4+), cerium (4+), germanium (4+), praseodymium (4+), terbium (4+) or mixtures thereof, "p" has a value from 1 to 20, "x" has a value from 0 to less than 1, "n" has a value from 0 to 12, "y" has a value 0 to 12, "m" has a value from 3 to 36 and 1 ≤ n + y ≤ 12, wherein the zirconium silicate exhibits a volume weighted mean particle size between 5 and 20 microns wherein less than 10% of the particles have a size below 5 microns and less than 10% of the particles have a size above 25 microns.