In　order　to　develop　high-efficiency　and　low-cost　catalyst　for　the　slurry-phase　hydrocracking　of　vacuum　residue　(VR),　the　catalyst　supported　on　natural　rectorite　was　prepared,　and　the　effect　of　calcination　modification　of　rectorite　on　the　catalyst　properties　and　performance　was　investigated.　The　support　of　rectorite　and　catalyst　were　characterized　by　XRD,　FTIR,　Py-FTIR,　H2-TPR　and　XPS　to　examine　their　structures　and　properties.　The　comparative　reaction　results　show　that　VR　conversions　for　the　catalysts　supported　on　calcined　rectorite　were　similar　with　that　on　raw　rectorite,　possibly　due　to　the　VR　cracking　reaction　controlled　by　the　thermal　cracking　following　free　radical　mechanism　because　of　few　acid　sites　observed　on　the　catalysts　surface.　However,　the　yields　of　naphtha　and　middle　distillates　for　the　various　catalysts　were　obviously　different,　and　increased　following　as　Rec-Mo　(40.4　wt%)　＜　Rec-600-Mo　(52.7　wt　%)　＜　Rec-450-Mo　(53.5　wt%)　＜　Rec-500-Mo　(61.7　wt%),　indicating　that　the　calcination　of　rectorite　favored　the　enhancement　of　the　yields　of　naphtha　and　middle　distillates　for　the　catalyst　in　the　slurry-phase　hydrocracking　process,　it　is　attributed　that　the　higher　sulfidation　degree　of　molybdenum　oxide　species　on　the　catalyst　surface　promoted　hydrogenation　reaction,　thus　restrained　over-cracking　reaction　of　intermediate　product　to　produce　gas.　(c)　2021　The　Authors.　Publishing　services　by　Elsevier　B.V.　on　behalf　of　KeAi　Communications　Co.　Ltd.　This　is　an　open　access　article　under　the　CC　BY-NC-ND　license　(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/　4.0/).