This paper presents a review of recently acquired knowledge on the physico-chemical properties of mineral dust from Africa and Asia based on data presented and discussed during the Third International Dust Workshop, held in Leipzig (Germany) in September 2008. <br></br> Various regional field experiments have been conducted in the last few years, mostly close to source regions or after short-range transport. Although significant progress has been made in characterising the regional variability of dust properties close to source regions, in particular the mineralogy of iron and the description of particle shape and mixing state, difficulties remain in estimating the range of variability of those properties within one given source region. As consequence, the impact of these parameters on aerosol properties like optical properties, solubility, hygroscopicity, etc. – determining the dust impact on climate – is only partly understood. Long-term datasets in remote regions such as the dust source regions remain a major desideratum. <br></br> Future work should also focus on the evolution of dust properties during transport. In particular, the prediction of the mineral dust size distribution at emission and their evolution during transport should be considered as a high-priority. <br></br> From the methodological point of view, a critical assessment and standardisation of the experimental and analytical techniques is highly recommended. Techniques to characterize the internal state of mixing of dust particles, particularly with organic material, should be further developed

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A B S T R A C TA large field experiment of the Saharan Mineral Dust Experiment (SAMUM) was performed in Praia, Cape Verde, in January and February 2008. The aerosol at Praia is a superposition of mineral dust, sea-salt, sulphates and soot. Particles smaller than 500 nm are mainly mineral dust, mineral dust-sulphate mixtures, sulphates and soot-sulphate mixtures. Particles larger then 2.5 µm consist of mineral dust, sea-salt and few mineral dust-sulphate mixtures. A transition range exists in between. The major internal mixtures are mineral dust-sulphate and soot-sulphate. Mineral dust-sea-salt mixtures occur occasionally, mineral dust-soot mixtures were not observed. The aspect ratio was 1.3-1.4 for dry particles smaller than 500 nm and 1.6-1.7 for larger ones. Parameterizations are given for dry and humid state. Although the real part of the refractive index showed low variation (1.55-1.58 at 532 nm), a multi-modal imaginary part was detected as function of particle size, reflecting the complex composition. Soot mainly influences the absorption for wavelengths longer than the haematite absorption edge, whereas for shorter wavelengths dust is dominating. The refractive index of the aerosol depends on the source region of the mineral dust and on the presence/absence of a marine component.