A process for the production of a zeolite body and zeolite body obtained via said process

A process for the production of a zeolite body, wherein the process comprises the steps of:

• (a) forming a zeolite reaction mix, wherein the reaction mix comprises:
• (i) zeolite crystallites having a sub-micron particle size;
• and
• (ii) water;
• (b) removing water from the zeolite reaction mix to form a partially dried zeolite mass;
• (c) extruding, cutting, and/or breaking the partially dried zeolite mass to form partially dried zeolite bodies;
• (d) subjecting the partially dried zeolite bodies to at least one further processing step selected from rounding, drying and size classification;
• (e) heating the partially dried zeolite bodies to temperatures greater than 400° C. to form calcined zeolite bodies;
• (f) contacting the calcined zeolite bodies with water to form washed calcined zeolite bodies;
• (g) contacting the washed calcined zeolite bodies with an ammonium ion containing solution so as to exchange sodium ions in the zeolite with ammonium ions to form cation-exchanged zeolite bodies;
• and
• (h) heating the cation-exchanged zeolite bodies to temperatures greater than 200° C. to form zeolite bodies.