Patent ID: 6494932
Filing Date: 2002-12-17
Classification: C22B,Y02P,Y10S

Abstract:
A process for recovering naturally occurring nanoclusters, comprising:providing an aqeuous nanocluster slurry from a nanocluster bearing geologic source material comprising naturally occurring nanoclusters and a geologic host substrate; desorbing said naturally occurring nanoclusters from said geologic host substrate using a mixture comprising water and a reagent capable of separating said naturally occurring nanoclusters from said geologic host substrate; separating and recovering an aqueous nanocluster colloid solution formed by the desorbing step, by one or more processes selected from the group consisting of gravity settling, centrifugation and filtration to form a separated aqueous nanocluster colloid solution; and treating the separated aqueous nanocluster colloid solution by one or more processes selected from the group consisting of adsorption and ion exchange to produce a nanocluster concentrate.