Abstract: A process for treating precious metal tailing slurries with Caro's acid, in which the Caro's acid is accompanied by reduced amounts of Caro's acid mist, is disclosed. The hot Caro's acid-containing mixture, formed by reaction of concentrated sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide, is quenched with water to reduce or eliminate the Caro's acid mist. The resulting cooled and diluted mixture is introduced into a precious metal tailings slurry to reduce the amount of cyanide values in the slurry.

Abstract: A process is described for solution mining isolated, mechanically mined-out areas of soluble evaporite ore to recover remaining ore reserves, wherein the mined-out areas are separated from an operational mine area by barrier pillars of the evaporite ore, by drilling at least one vertical well bore from the surface to a predefined distance above the evaporite ore body, converting the drilling of the vertical well bore to a substantially horizontal well bore at a predetermined distance below the ground level, continuing the drilling parallel to and within the evaporite ore body to form a well bore one end of which is connected to the mined-out area, developing a connection from the operating mine area to the other end of the well bore, drilling an injection well from the surface into the mined-out area, injecting an aqueous solvent into the injection well, passing the solvent into the mined-out area, removing solvent enriched in dissolved evaporite ore from the mined-out area, passing such enriched solvent from

Abstract: A process is described for producing amorphous metal alloys wherein impure ferrophosphorus slag, a by-product from a phosphorus-producing electric furnace, is used to supply phosphorus, chromium, vanadium and iron values to such alloys by mixing it with iron and any other desired metalloid and/or elements to form a molten mixture, treating the molten mixture to a separation step to remove insoluble slag formed in said molten mixture, and rapidly cooling the molten mixture to below its vitrification temperature to form a solid amorphous metal alloy.

Abstract: A process is described for producing amorphous metal alloys wherein impure ferrophosphorus slag, a by-product from a phosphorus-producing electric furnace, is used to supply phosphorus, chromium, vanadium and iron values to such alloys by treating the ferrophosphorus slag to a separation step to recover a purified molten ferrophos, mixing it with iron and any other desired metalloid and/or elements to form a molten mixture and rapidly cooling the molten mixture to below its vitrification temperature to form a solid amorphous metal alloy.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for producing Caro's acid by reaction of at least 85% by weight sulfuric acid and at least 50% by weight hydrogen peroxide wherein the sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide are fed through separate feed lines into a funneling zone open to the atmosphere, the feed lines having air gaps between their ends and the funneling zone; passing said hydrogen peroxide and sulfuric acid by gravity flow from said funneling zone into one end of a reaction zone whose size permits a pressure drop which is at least 8 times the theoretical pressure drop for such reaction zone and removing a mixture containing Caro's acid from the exit end of the reaction zone.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for producing Caro's acid by reaction of at least 85% by weight sulfuric acid and at least 50% by weight hydrogen peroxide wherein the sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide are fed through separate feed lines into a funneling zone open to the atmosphere, the feed lines having air gaps between their ends and the funneling zone; continuing to introduce the sulfuric acid and the hydrogen peroxide into the funneling zone to flow and mix within the funneling zone, passing the resulting mixture by gravity flow into one end of a reaction zone whose size permits a pressure drop which is at least 8 times the theoretical pressure drop for such reaction zone and removing a mixture containing Caro's acid from the exit end of the reaction zone.

Abstract: A hydrometallurgical process is described for recovery of precious metals from ores refractory to treatment by lixiviating agents by crushing the ore to no finer than a nominal 1/4 inch size, treating the ore with about 100% to about 300% of the stoichiometric amount of nitric acid required to react with the ore, maintaining the reaction mixture until the reaction is substantially complete, placing the treated ore in a permeable ore bed, washing the permeable ore bed to remove nitric acid, placing the washed ore in a heap permeable ore bed and passing a lixiviate solution for precious metals through the bed and recovering the dissolved precious metal from the lixiviate solution. All NOx gases generated during the reaction of nitric acid with the ore are recovered for conversion into nitric acid which is recycled for treating ore.

Abstract: A process for treating effluents, such as precious metal tailings, having a pH of at least 9 and containing cyanide is described in which Caro's acid is added to the effluent having a pH of at least 9 and commencing the reaction of the cyanide with Caro's acid at 0.degree. C. to 80.degree. C. in the absence of an added alkali; adding sufficient Caro's acid within a mole ratio of Caro's acid to cyanide of 0.3/1 to 3/1 to reduce the pH of the effluent to below 9, continuing the reaction between Caro's acid and the cyanide to reduce the amount of cyanide remaining in the effluent and to recover an environmentally compatible effluent reduced in amounts of cyanide.

Abstract: Aqueous phosphorus wastes from the electric furnace production of phosphors and containing heavy metal bearing particulates are treated with lime whereby the phosphorus is converted into useful phosphorus compounds and the heavy metals rendered sufficiently non-leachable to permit their release into the environment. The treatment is conducted above about 60.degree. C. at a pH of between about 11.0 to 12.5.

Abstract: Process for recovering cyanide values from a mill tailings stream remaining after gold and silver have been leached from an ore, by treating the tailings stream containing both ore insolubles and remaining cyanide leachant, without a preliminary filtration, to acidification with an acid to a pH of at least 4, stripping the cyanide values therefrom with a stripping gas in a stripping column such as a baffle plate column wherein the average residence time of the column is sufficiently low that the pH of the stream does not rise above about 4 and the ore insolubles do not plug the column, introducing the stripping gas and stripped cyanide values into an absorbing column containing an alkaline liquor to absorb the cyanide values, recovering the absorbed cyanide values, and removing a stripped tailings stream reduced in cyanide values.

Abstract: A disk reclaimer, having spring mounted harrow and carrier teeth, is described. The spring loaded teeth are less subject to binding or breakage when reclaiming highly cohesive bulk materials such as phosphate shales.

Abstract: A process for producing valuable sodium-based chemicals from a brine containing sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate, such as those containing from about 8% to about 20% total alkali obtained by contacting water with an underground trona formation by heating the brine at about 100.degree. C. to about 140.degree. C. to evaporate water, convert sodium bicarbonate to sodium carbonate and to drive off resulting carbon dioxide, reacting the brine with reduced sodium bicarbonate with an aqueous sodium hydroxide solution in amounts to convert essentially all of the remaining sodium bicarbonate in the brine to sodium carbonate, cooling to about 5.degree. C. to about 25.degree. C. to precipitate sodium carbonate decahydrate crystals, separating the crystals from their mother liquor, melting the separate crystals to form a sodium carbonate solution, heating the solution to from above about 60.degree. C. to below 110.degree. C.

Abstract: A process is described for producing sodium-based chemicals from a brine containing sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate by heating the brine to evaporate water and drive off carbon dioxide and obtain a solution that will crystallize sodium sesquicarbonate, cooling the solution, precipitating sodium sesquicarbonate crystals and separating a first mother liquor from the sesquicarbonate crystals. The first mother liquor is then cooled to a lower temperature to precipitate sodium carbonate decahydrate crystals, the decahydrate crystals are separated from a second mother liquor and the decahydrate crystals are recovered for use in the manufacture of sodium-containing chemicals, such as sodium carbonate monohydrate, anhydrous sodium carbonate or soda ash.

Abstract: Process for disposing of insoluble tailings that remain when solubilizing uncalcined or calcined trona in the process of producing soda ash, in which the tailings are slurried with water or waste solutions of sodium carbonate and/or sodium bicarbonate, adding an alkali metal hydroxide or alkaline earth metal hydroxide in effective amounts up to about 10% by weight of the aqueous slurrying solution, pumping the slurry into a well connected to an underground mined-out cavity with sufficient pressure to prevent build-up of tailings from plugging the bottom of the well opening, dispersing and settling said tailings in the cavity, removing a liquor from said cavity whose concentration of sodium carbonate and/or sodium bicarbonate has been increased and recovering such enriched liquor for use in the manufacture of sodium-containing chemicals such as soda ash.

Abstract: A hydrometallurgical process is described for recovery of a precious metals from ores refractory to treatment by lixiviating agents by crushing the ore to no finer than a nominal 1/4 inch size, acidifying the ore with a mineral acid, treating the ore to a preliminary oxidation with nitric acid, optionally adding a binder to the oxidized ore, heap treating the ore with nitric acid to complete oxidation of the ore, water washing the heaped ore, optionally increasing the alkalinity of the heaped ore, heap treating the ore with a lixiviating solution and recovering precious metals from the lixiviating solution. The process recovers NO.sub.x gases generated during the preliminary oxidation and binder addition stage for conversion into nitric acid which is recycled for treating ore. Chemical treatments in the process can be carried out at ambient temperatures and atmospheric pressures.

Abstract: A granular STPP suitable for detergent compositions which is non-caking in non-agitated water is produced by wetting anhydrous phase II STPP granules and drying the granules to remove free water. The resulting granules, when incorporated in detergent compositions, form a free flowing detergent slurry in detergent dispensing systems.

Abstract: Dry-blended detergent formulations are prepared by absorbing liquid surfactant on absorptive soda ash derived from the dehydration of sodium carbonate decahydrate.

Abstract: Process for disposal of insoluble tailings that remain when solubilizing uncalcined or calcined trona in the process of producing soda ash, in which tailings are slurried with a saturated or substantially saturated solution of sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate and mixtures thereof, pumping said slurry into a well connected to an underground mined-out cavity with sufficient pressure to prevent the build-up of tailings from plugging the bottom of the well opening, dispersing and settling said tailings and a retained portion of the solution in the cavity, removing solution from said cavity and conveying it to the surface, recovering the removed solution for recycle and slurrying of additional tailings, and adding as make-up liquor to replace the solution retained in the cavity, a saturated or substantially saturated solution of sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate and mixtures thereof. The preferred solution employed in this process is purge solution which is discarded from a crystallizer circuit.

Abstract: Process for disposing of insoluble tailings that remain when solubilizing uncalcined or calcined trona in the process of producing soda ash, in which the tailings are slurried with water or waste solutions of sodium carbonate and/or sodium bicarbonate, pumping the slurry into a well connected to an underground mined-out cavity with sufficient pressure to prevent build-up of tailings from plugging the bottom of the well opening, dispersing and settling said tailings in the cavity, removing a liquor from said cavity whose concentration of sodium carbonate and/or sodium bicarbonate has been increased and recovering such enriched liquor for use in the manufacture of sodium-containing chemicals such as soda ash.

Abstract: A concentrated aqueous alkali metal polyphosphate solution is prepared by adding polyphosphoric acid having a P.sub.2 O.sub.5 assay of about 82% to about 85% to a quantity of concentrated aqueous alkali metal hydroxide sufficient to neutralize the acid. The resulting polyphosphate solution is richer in pyrophosphate and tripolyphosphate moieties than the acid.