The present invention relates to a coated abrasive article containing abrasive agglomerates based on target cores that provide an extended surface. Target cores are defined as geometric shapes, e.g., spherical, rectangular, tetrahedral, conical, cylindrical, pyramidal or combinations and mixtures thereof. The preferred cores are porous structures with their own abrasive capacity as a grinding aid element. They are bonded on substrates, e.g., textile fabrics, plastic films, saturated or no treated papers, vulcanized fibers, non-wovens and mixtures thereof to produce extended surfaces on which are deposited the working abrasive particles, e.g., aluminum oxide, silicon carbide, zirconia alumina, ceramic aluminum oxide and mixtures thereof, through an electrostatic field to improve performance capabilities. The electrostatic field promotes orientation of the deposited grains around the cores with exposed sharp edges over the extended area, causing as a secondary effect the compacting of the abrasive grains. The abrasive grains are agglomerated in situ via nucleation of the surface of the target cores during the coated abrasive manufacturing process. Incorporation of the abrasive particles on the interstices between target cores also produces increased life of the coated abrasive article. The invention includes the method of manufacturing the abrasive article by forming the agglomerated particles in situ during the manufacturing process.