Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for reducing and/or removing inorganic matter from a material containing inorganic matter which comprises the steps of:(i) (a) treating the material with a source of hydrogen fluoride so as to form a first residue and a first solution containing inorganic matter;(b) separating the first residue from the first solution containing the inorganic matter;(c) treating the first residue with an acid so as to form a second residue and a second solution containing further inorganic matter; and(d) separating the second residue from the second solution containing the further inorganic matter; or(ii) (a) treating the material with an acid so as to form a first residue and a first solution containing inorganic matter;(b) separating the first residue from the first solution containing the inorganic matter;(c) treating the first residue with a source of hydrogen fluoride so as to form a second residue and a second solution containing further inorganic matter; and(d) separating the

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the production of intermediates useful in the processing of mineral sands and related materials characterized in that the process comprises:(a) dissolving a metal fluoride or metal chloride compound in an organic solvent; and either(b)(i) adding an ammonium fluoride to the metal fluoride or metal chloride compound dissolved in the organic solvent in step (a) to precipitate an ammonium fluorometallate from the organic solvent; and(ii) dissolving the ammonium fluorometallate from step (b)(i) in water and adding an alkali fluoride or an alkali chloride or an alkali nitrate to produce an alkali fluorometallate and an ammonium fluoride or an ammonium chloride or an ammonium nitrate; or(c) optionally adding the metal fluoride compound dissolved in the organic solvent in step (a) to an alkali fluoride dissolved in water or in aqueous hydrogen fluoride to produce an alkali fluorometallate directly.