Method for producing a high-density saline cesium and rubidium solution

US5593650A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Metallgesellschaft AG · DE

Inventors

• Horst Prinz · Friedberg, DE
• Hartmut Hofmann · Frankfurt am Main, DE
• Klaus K obele · Dietzenbach, DE
• Marion Wegner · Frankfurt am Main, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 17, 1995
• Grant date: Jan 14, 1997
• Expiry date: Jul 17, 2015

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C01D17/00
• WIPO field: Materials, metallurgy
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

The method of making a high density saline cesium and rubidium solution includes comminuting uncalcined pollucite and/or calcined lepidolite to a grain size of less than 0.1 mm; combining the comminuted material in the presence of water with Ca(OH).sub.2 at a mol ratio of SiO.sub.2 to CaO of not less than 1:2; hydro-thermally decomposing at a temperature of 200.degree. to 280.degree. C., a pressure of 20 to 40 bar and with a suspension density of 4 to 15% by weight for from 1 to 3 hours to form a suspension containing insoluble solids; filtering the insoluble solids and washing to form a filtrate and concentrating the filtrate; blowing carbon dioxide into the concentrated filtrate to precipitate calcium carbonate and lithium carbonate and filtering the concentrated filtrate to separate the precipitated carbonates from a remaining solution; and then adding an acid or acid anhydride to the remaining solution until the pH of the remaining solution reaches about 6 and concentrating by evaporation to form the high density saline cesium and rubidium solution.