Patent ID: 7488464

Claim:
A method for rapid and adaptive processing of metal oxides, comprising the steps of: a. providing a metal containing solution; b. providing an aqueous oxidizing solution, the oxidizing solution being prepared to have Eh and pH values within a stability area of an aqueous solution system, the stability area being selected from the group consisting of a metal oxide stability area, a metal ion stability area, and a polyatomic ion stability area for an aqueous solution system at process temperature and process pressure when the aqueous oxidizing solution is mixed with the metal containing solution; c. feeding the metal containing solution and the aqueous oxidizing solution into at least one continuous flow reactor, the solutions being fed either separately into the continuous flow reactor where they mix to form a combined mixed processing solution or being premixed and fed as a combined mixed processing solution; d. heating the combined mixed processing solution to process temperature; e. monitoring and adjusting the combined mixed processing solution temperature, Eh value, pH value, molarity, and pressure within the continuous flow reactor so as to rapidly and adaptively move combined mixed processing solution conditions into and/or maintain the combined processing solution conditions within the stability area; and f. maintaining the combined mixed processing solution conditions within the stability area as the combined mixed processing solution travels through the continuous flow reactor so as to produce metal oxides selected from the group consisting of regenerated metal oxides, pretreated metal oxides, precipitated metal oxides, and regenerated and precipitated metal oxides.