Patent ID: 8277765

Claim:
A process for recovering molybdate or tungstate from an aqueous solution, comprising the steps: a) contacting an aqueous solution containing molybdate or tungstate with a water-insoluble, cationized inorganic carrier material at a pH in the range from 2 to 6 to give a carrier material laden with molybdate or tungstate and an aqueous solution depleted in molybdate or tungstate, b) separating said carrier material laden with molybdate or tungstate from said aqueous solution depleted in molybdate or tungstate, c) contacting said carrier material laden with molybdate or tungstate with an aqueous solution at a pH in the range from 6 to 14 to give a carrier material depleted in molybdate or tungstate and an aqueous solution laden with molybdate or tungstate, and d) separating said carrier material depleted in molybdate or tungstate from said aqueous solution laden with molybdate or tungstate; wherein said cationized inorganic carrier material is a cationized sheet silicate selected from the group consisting of bentonites, hectorites and attapulgites and said sheet silicate has been ion-exchanged with a quaternary tetraalkylammonium salt or with a quaternized alkanolamine fatty acids ester.