| abstract |
A PROCESS IS PROVIDED FOR PREPARING ZIRCONIUM SULFATES BY FUSING A ZIRCONIUM SILICEOUS ORE, SUCH AS ZIRCON SAND, WITH AN ALKALI METAL CARBONATE OR HYDROZIDE TO FORM AN ALKALI METAL ZIRCONYLOSILICATE, AND/OR ALKALI METAL ZIRCONATE, AND SILICATE, WHICH IS DISSOLVED IN AQUEOUS HYDROCHLORIC ACID TO FORM A CLEAR SOLUTION OF ZIRCONYL CHLORIDE AND SILICIC ACID. AN AQUEOUS SULFATE SOLUTION IS ADDED, AND THE MIXTURE HEATED TO RPECIPITATE A ZIRCONIUM SULFATE. THIS CAN BE CALCINED TO FORM ZIRCONIUM OXIDE. IF FLUORIDE IS ADDED WITH THE SULFATE SOLUTION, A SERIES OF BASIC AND ACIDIC ZIRCONIUM FLUOSULFATES CAN BE OBTAINED USEFUL AS A GLASS POLISHING ADDITIVE. THE ZIRCONIUM FLUOSULFATES CAN ALSO BE CALCINED, TO FORM A VERY PURE ZIRCONIUM OXIDE. A PROCESS ALSO IS PROVIDED FOR PREPARING A ZIRCONIUM OXIDE HAVING A VERY LOW PROPORTION OF SILICA, BY CALCINING A ZIRCONIUM COMPOUND COMPRISING SILICA IN THE PRESENCE OF FLUORINE OR A FLUORIDE. |