Abstract: Highly purified alkali metal hydroxide and carbonate solutions are obtained by treating self-contaminated solutions thereof with composite ion exchange resin bodies having low residual amounts of quaternary ammonium cation not intimately associated with carboxylate anions to minimize inorganic chloride and chlorate anion leakage.

Abstract: Improved composite ion exchange resin bodies comprising a reaction product of an ingredient containing carboxylate anions polymerized within a strong base anion exchange resin, said resin bodies having low residual amounts of quaternary ammonium cation not intimately associated with said carboxylate anions to minimize inorganic chloride and chlorate anion leakage in ion exchange column operation.

Abstract: The recovery of non-ferrous transition metals such as copper and nickel from acidic hydrometallurgical leach liquors with a 2-picolylamine chelate exchange resin is improved by the in situ reduction of Fe.sup.+.sup.3 present in the leach liquor with a water soluble reducing agent during the resin loading cycle. The chelate resin functions not only as a selective sorbent for the desired metal values, but also as a catalyst for the in situ reduction of Fe.sup.+.sup.3 to Fe.sup.+.sup.2. A suitable reducing agent such as SO.sub.2 or HCHO is fed into the chelate resin column with the leach liquor. When the loading cycle is completed, regeneration with sulfuric acid gives an enriched eluent with a high non-ferrous metal:Fe ratio. For example, using SO.sub.2 with a copper leach liquor feed, subsequent regeneration at about 70.degree. C gives better than 90 percent recovery of the copper as a highly enriched copper sulfate solution with a Cu:Fe ratio of about 10,000.