Process for producing purified cesium compound from cesium alum

Abstract

Disclosed is a method for producing a predetermined cesium compound. The method comprises treating a cesium-containing material with a suitable reagent to dissolve at least a portion of the cesium contained in the material and form a slurry; adding a base comprising slaked lime or calcium carbonate and an acid containing the anion of the predetermined cesium compound to the slurry comprising the dissolved cesium; and separating the predetermined cesium compound. In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a method for producing a predetermined cesium compound from an ore comprising cesium aluminosilicate comprising: treating an ore comprising cesium aluminosilicate with an acid to form a slurry and dissolve at least a portion of the cesium contained in the ore; adding a base comprising slaked lime or calcium carbonate and a quantity of an acid containing the anion of the predetermined cesium compound to the slurry comprising dissolved or solubilized cesium; and separating the predetermined cesium compound. A drilling fluid or heavy medium separation fluid comprising the predetermined cesium compound of the process and having a specific gravity of between about 1.2 g/cm.sup.3 and about 2.5 g/cm.sup.3 and having less than 85% by weight of the predetermined cesium compound on a solution basis is also disclosed.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.