The uptake of ozone on various mineral powders has been studied using a Knudsen cell apparatus at T = 296 K. Samples included α-Al2O3, α-Fe2O3, SiO2, China loess and Saharan sand. Reactive uptake coefficients, γBET, were measured for the various particles and found to be 8 ¿ 5 ¿ 10-5 for α-Al2O3, 1.8 ¿ 0.7 ¿ 10-4 for α-Fe2O3 and 5 ¿ 3 ¿ 10-5 for SiO2. The authentic dust samples were found to have γBET values of 2.7 ¿ 0.9 ¿ 10-5 for China loess and 6 ¿ 3 ¿ 10-5 for Saharan sand. Variations in the reactivity of the Saharan sand were observed as a function of sample treatment. Under the conditions of this study, heterogeneous uptake of ozone is catalytic and results in the destruction of ozone.