Patent ID: 8764964

Claim:
An apparatus for forming metal hydroxide, comprising: a hydroxyl-producing cathode; an acid-producing anode; a DC electricity source connected to said hydroxyl-producing cathode and said acid-producing anode, said DC electricity source capable of producing a DC electric current path between said hydroxyl-producing cathode and said acid-producing anode; a vessel or container into which a water solution is added and into which the said acid-producing anode and said hydroxyl-producing cathode are at least partially submerged, said water solution having a sufficient ion concentration to allow said DC electric current to pass in said electric current path between said acid-producing anode and said hydroxyl-producing cathode; a metal carbonate mass positioned near or around said acid-producing anode, said metal carbonate mass composed of a manufactured, waste, or natural form of metal carbonate including calcium carbonate or magnesium carbonate contained in limestone or dolomite, said metal carbonate mass being in the form of an aggregate, powder, or particles, or being fractured, sintered, ground, perforated, or drilled out and made porous to said water solution; and hydroxyl ions and acid, said hydroxyl ions and said acid produced by said DC electric current splitting water in said water solution, generating said hydroxyl ions at said hydroxyl-producing cathode and generating said acid at said acid-producing anode; metal ions, said metal ions being derived from i) the result of said acid dissolving at least some of the said metal carbonate mass into metal ions and carbonate ions, or ii) metal ions as contained in said water solution, and metal ions traveling to said hydroxyl-producing cathode and forming said metal hydroxide; and carbonic acid or carbon dioxide and water or alternatively carbonic acid and carbon dioxide and water, said carbonic acid or carbon dioxide and water or alternatively said carbonic acid and carbon dioxide and water produced by said carbonate ions traveling to said acid-producing anode, reacting with said acid and forming said carbonic acid or said carbon dioxide and water or alternatively forming said carbonic acid and said carbon dioxide and said water.