The present invention provides porous mineral oxide beads which have large pore volumes and enhanced stability. The beads are based on a tetravalent metal oxide, such as zirconia, titania or hafnia. These highly porous beads are produced from a mixture of tetravalent mineral oxides, mineral pore inducing agents which are oxides or salts of trivalent metals, and optional binders. The porous mineral beads can be filled with a polymer gel and used for adsorption and chromatography applications.