Nearly a month after French specialty materials maker Imerys made a $1.6 billion bid for Amcol International, the would-be acquirer ended up on the losing end of the takeover battle for control of the suburban Chicago-based clay products maker.

Cravath, Swaine & Moore is advising New York–based Minerals Technologies on its $1.74 billion buy of Amcol, which is one of the world’s largest producers of bentonite, a mineral used in the construction, consumer products and energy industries.