Recovery of silica, iron oxide and magnesium carbonate from the treatment of serpentine with ammonium bisulfate

• US 3,338,667 A
• Filed: 12/02/1963
• Issued: 08/29/1967
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/1963
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Frederick L. Pundsack
• Original Assignee: Frederick L. Pundsack
• Inventors: Pundsack, Frederick L.
• Application Number:
  US04/327,542
• Time in Patent Office: 1,366 Days
• US Class Current: 423/144
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 33/152 Preparation of hydrogels
• CPC Class Codes: C01F 5/24 Magnesium carbonates
• CPC Class Codes: C01G 49/08 Ferroso-ferric oxide [Fe3O4]

Claims

1. THE METHOD FOR PRODUCING USEFUL PRODUCTS FROM SERPERTINE MINIERAL CONSISTING OF A COMBINATION OF REACTIONS COMPRISING THE STEPS OF:

(A) REACTING SERPENTINE MINERAL WITH AMMONIUM BISULFATE AT A TEMPERATURE SUFFICIENT TO DECOMPOSE SAID MINERAL AND THEREBY PRODUCING SILICA, MAGNESIUM SULFATE AND AMMONIUM SULFATE, AND RECOVERING FROM THE SYSTEM THE SILICA SOLIDS;

(B) TREATING AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION OF THE REMAINING REACTION PRODUCTS OF STEP (A) COMPRISING MAGNESIUM SULFATE AND AMMONIUM SULFATE, WITH AMMONIUM HYDROXIDE TO INCREASE THE PH THEREOF TO AT LEAST ABOUT 8 AND THEREBY PRECIPITATE OUT ANY FERRIC AND FERROUS IONS PRESENT AS HYDRATED IRON OXIDES AND RECOVERING THE SAME;

(C) ADDING AMMONIUM HYDROXIDE AND CARBON DIOXIDE TO THE SOLUTION OF MAGNESIUM SULFATE AND AMMONIUM SULFATE OF STEP (B) AND THEREBY PRECIPITATING OUT THE MAGNESIUM IONS AS MAGNESIUM BASIC CARBONATE, AND CONVERTING THE AMMONIUM HYDROXIDE TO AMMONIUM SULFATE;

(D) RECOVERING AMMONIUM SULFATE FROM THE AQUEOUS SOLUTION OF STEP (C) BY EVAPORATION AND THERMALLY DECOMPOSING THE AMMONIUM SULFATE PRODUCING AMMONIUM BISULFATE FOR RECYCLING AND USE IN STEP (A) AND AMMONIA FOR RECYCLING AND USE AS AMMONIUM HYDROXIDE.