Beneficiation of zircon
AssigneeUniversity of Pretoria
InventorsNone recorded
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This invention relates to a process of treating a zirconium containing product such as zircon. The process comprises providing an alkali fusion decomposed zircon product (AFDZ) formed from reading zircon with a source of alkali metal at elevated temperatures, and treating the AFDZ to form a solid containing hydrated zirconium oxide and/or hydrated zirconium basic carbonate (hereinafter referred to as the hydrated zirconium product). The process further comprises treating the solid hydrated zirconium product to obtain in situ formation of basic zirconium sulphate as a solid thereon. The invention also relates to such a process for producing zircon derived material suitable for pigments and to such a process to produce opacifier material. The invention also relates to products of such processes.
Claims19
A process of forming basic zirconium sulphate (ZBS) comprising:
- (a) providing an alkali-fusion decomposed zircon product (AFDZ) formed from reacting zircon with a source of alkali metal at elevated temperatures;
- (b) treating the AFDZ to form a solid containing a hydrated zirconium product in the form of hydrated zirconium oxide and/or hydrated zirconium basic carbonate by:
- (i) leaching the AFDZ to provide a leachate containing non-zirconium containing products, and a solid residue containing the hydrated zirconium product;
- or
- (ii) reacting the AFDZ with a source of sulphate to form an acid zirconium sulphate tetrahydrate (AZST) solution, and thereafter precipitating from the AZST solution a solid containing at least one of a hydrated zirconium basic carbonate (ZBC) and a hydrated zirconium oxide;
- and
- (c) adding a source of sulphate to the solid hydrated zirconium product to obtain in situ formation of ZBS as a solid.
A process of beneficiating zircon by separating non-zirconium containing products therefrom comprising:
- (a) providing an alkali-fusion decomposed zircon product (AFDZ) formed from reacting zircon with a source of alkali metal at elevated temperatures;
- (b) leaching the AFDZ to provide a leachate containing non-zirconium containing products, and a solid residue containing a hydrated zirconium product;
- and
- (c) adding a source of sulphate to the residue in order to obtain in situ formation of basic zirconium sulphate (ZBS) as a solid in the residue.
A process of producing zircon derived material suitable for pigments comprising:
- (a) providing an alkali-fusion decomposed zircon product (AFDZ) formed from reacting zircon with a source of alkali metal at elevated temperatures;
- (b) leaching the AFDZ to provide a leachate containing non-zirconium containing products, and a solid residue containing a hydrated zirconium product;
- (c) adding a source of sulphate to the residue in order to obtain in situ formation of basic zirconium sulphate (ZBS) as a solid in the residue;
- (d) drying the ZBS-containing residue and calcining the dried ZBS-containing residue to form a calcined product which is a zircon derived material suitable for pigments.
A process of beneficiating zircon to produce opacifier material comprising:
- providing an alkali-fusion decomposed zircon product (AFDZ) formed from reacting zircon with a source of alkali metal at elevated temperatures;
- leaching the AFDZ to provide a leachate containing non-zirconium containing products, and a solid residue containing a hydrated zirconium product;
- adding a source of sulphate to the residue in order to obtain in situ formation of basic zirconium sulphate (ZBS) as a solid in the residue;
- purifying the ZBS containing residue by removing non-zirconium containing species;
- and
- calcining the purified ZBS containing product thereby to produce opacifier material.
A process of beneficiating zircon by separating non-zirconium containing products therefrom comprising:
- providing an alkali-fusion decomposed zircon product (AFDZ) formed from reacting zircon with a source alkali metal at elevated temperatures;
- reacting the AFDZ with a source of sulphate to form an acid zirconium sulphate tetrahydrate (AZST) solution;
- precipitating hydrated zirconium basic carbonate (ZBC) or hydrated zirconium oxide and soluble sulphates from the AZST solution;
- washing the precipitate to remove soluble sulphates;
- and
- adding a source of sulphate to the washed precipitate in order to obtain in situ formation of basic zirconium sulphate (ZBS).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.