Patent ID: 8716164

Claim:
A hydrodemetallization process comprising the step of contacting a magnesium aluminosilicate clay wherein said magnesium aluminosilicate clay is synthesized according to a method comprising the following steps wherein three separate components are used to form the clay product: a. combining three distinct components (1) a silicon component, (2) an aluminum component, and (3) a magnesium component, under aqueous conditions at a first reaction temperature and at ambient pressure, to form a first reaction mixture, wherein the pH of said first reaction mixture is acidic, b. adding an alkali base to the first reaction mixture to form a second reaction mixture having a pH greater than the pH of the first reaction mixture; and c. reacting the second reaction mixture at a second reaction temperature and for a time sufficient to form a product comprising a magnesium aluminosilicate clay; and with the clay comprising clay platelets composed of sheets of octahedrally coordinated metal ions interlinked by means of oxygen ions and sheets of tetrahedrally coordinated metal ions interlinked by oxygen ions.