Patent ID: 7063824

Claim:
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.