Abstract: A pumping line arrangement includes a chamber connecting line which is fluidly connectable to a process chamber that forms part of a semiconductor fabrication tool. The pumping line arrangement also includes a valve module which is fluidly connected to the chamber connecting line. The valve module splits the chamber connecting line into respective first and second pumping lines. The first pumping line is intended to carry a first process flow and the second pumping line is intended to carry a second process flow which is incompatible with the first process flow. At least one of the first pumping line or the second pumping line includes fluidly connected therewithin a pre-abatement module that is configured to remove one or more incompatible constituents from the process flow intended to be carried by the other pumping line.

Abstract: There are provided processes for preparing alumina. These processes can comprise leaching an aluminum-containing material with HCl so as to obtain a leachate comprising aluminum ions and a solid, and separating said solid from said leachate; reacting said leachate with HCl so as to obtain a liquid and a precipitate comprising said aluminum ions in the form of AlCl3, and separating said precipitate from said liquid; and heating said precipitate under conditions effective for converting AlCl3 into Al2O3 and optionally recovering gaseous HCl so-produced. These processes can also be used for preparing various other products such as hematite, MgO, silica and oxides of various metals, sulphates and chlorides of various metals, as well as rare earth elements, rare metals and aluminum.

Abstract: Provided a method for preparing metallurgical-grade alumina by using fluidized-bed fly ash, comprising: a) removing iron by wet magnetic separation after crushing the fly ash; b) reacting the fly ash after magnetic separation with hydrochloric acid to obtain a hydrochloric leachate; c) passing the hydrochloric leachate through macro-porous cationic resin to deeply remove iron to obtain a refined aluminum chloride solution; d) concentrating and crystallizing the refined aluminum chloride solution to obtain an aluminum chloride crystal; and e) calcining the aluminum chloride crystal to obtain the metallurgical-grade alumina. The method is simple, the procedure is easy to be controlled, the extraction efficiency of alumina is high, the production coast is low, and the product quality is steady.

Abstract: Provided a method for preparing metallurgical-grade alumina by using fluidized-bed fly ash, comprising: a) removing iron by wet magnetic separation after crushing the fly ash; b) reacting the fly ash after magnetic separation with hydrochloric acid to obtain a hydrochloric leachate; c) passing the hydrochloric leachate through macro-porous cationic resin to deeply remove iron to obtain a refined aluminum chloride solution; d) concentrating and crystallizing the refined aluminum chloride solution to obtain an aluminum chloride crystal; and e) calcining the aluminum chloride crystal to obtain the metallurgical-grade alumina. The method is simple, the procedure is easy to be controlled, the extraction efficiency of alumina is high, the production coast is low, and the product quality is steady.

Abstract: A process for extracting metal values from ores or residues is disclosed. The process mentioned above is mainly suitable for aluminoferrous ores such as bauxite, titanoferrous ores such as ilmenite, or residues such as red mud waste. The process involves pulverizing the ore and/or residue and mixing with a carbonaceous material, followed by smelting the iron values and slag in the mixture to yield molten iron and oxides of aluminum and titanium. The process is simple, cost-effective, and provides effective extraction of high purity metal values.

Abstract: A method for recovering base metal values from oxide ore is provided, where the ore includes a first group metal selected from nickel, cobalt and copper. The method includes reducing ore particle size to suit the latter unit operation, favoring contact for the metal elements, contacting the ore with ferric or ferrous chloride, hydrated or anhydrous, to produce a mix of ore and iron (II or III) chloride subjecting the mixture of the ore and ferric or ferrous chloride to enough energy to decompose the chlorides into hydrochloric acid and a iron oxides from the second group, forming their respective chlorides, selectively dissolve the produced base metal chlorides, leaving the metal as oxides and in the solid state, and recovering the dissolved base metal values from aqueous solution.

Abstract: A high-temperature, heat-resistant fill material is disclosed. The high-temperature, heat-resistant fill material includes an alumina refractory waste material having one or more of a used alumina-magnesium-carbon material, a used high-alumina material and a used fused-grain alumina material is disclosed. A method for method for manufacturing a material is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of recovering metal and/or oxide thereof from a slurry is described. The method involves magnetically separating at least a portion of any magnetic impurities from the slurry and then leaching or dissolving at least a portion of any remaining magnetic impurities in a slurry. At least one chelating agent can then be added to the slurry and the solids can be recovered from the slurry by various separation techniques. The methods of the present invention are particularly useful in the recovery of tantalum and/or oxide thereof especially tantalum and/or oxide thereof having a very fine size.

Abstract: Magnetic porous inorganic siliceous materials having a particle size of about 1 to about 200 microns useful as solid supports in various chromatography, immunoassays, synthesis and other separation and purification procedures is disclosed.

Abstract: A method of treating spent potliner material from aluminum reduction cells is disclosed. The spent potliner material is introduced into a sulfuric acid digester to produce a gas component including hydrogen fluoride and hydrogen cyanide and a slurry component including carbon, silica, alumina, sodium sulfate, iron, calcium and magnesium. The gas component is recovered and heated an effective amount to eliminate hydrogen cyanide and produce a remaining gas component including CO.sub.2, H.sub.2 O, nitrogen oxides and HF. The remaining gas component is directed through a water scrubber to form hydrofluoric acid, and the hydrofluoric acid is admixed with aluminum hydroxide to create aluminum fluoride. The slurry component is rinsed with water to separate a first solid fraction containing carbon, alumina and silica from a second liquid faction. The pH of the liquid fraction is adjusted to first create and separate aluminum hydroxide and then to separate sodium sulfate.

Abstract: A method for beneficiating a kaolin clay which includes quantities of smectite contaminants to reduce the low and high shear viscosities of high solids aqueous slurries of the kaolin. The smectite is converted into a pillared clay by intercalating it with a polymeric cationic hydroxy metal complex wherein the metal is ferromagnetic or diamagnetic. The kaolin and pillared smectite is then subjected as an aqueous slurry to high intensity magnetic separation, to separate the pillared smectite, and the beneficiated kaolin is recovered as product.

Abstract: For the purposes of solving a problem due to a fly ash and HF in an exhaust gas, maintaining the activity of calcium carbonate as an absorbent, and recovering a high-purity gypsum, there is here provided a method for desulfurizing an exhaust smoke which comprises the steps of leading the exhaust gas containing the fly ash to a gas absorbing step, removing SO.sub.2 and the fly ash from the exhaust gas by the use of an absorbing solution slurry containing calcium carbonate as an absorbent in the gas absorbing step, and blowing air into the absorbing solution slurry circulating through the gas absorbing step to oxidize it and to thereby produce the gypsum, the aforesaid method being characterized by drawing a portion of the absorbing solution slurry therefrom, leading it to a magnetic field to separate and recover the fly ash from the absorbing solution slurry, and then returning, to the gas absorbing step, a portion or all of the absorbing solution slurry from which the fly ash has been separated.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for producing high brightness kaolin from ore containing silica, other types of clays, minerals such as ilmenite micas, feldspars and various metal silicates as well as organic matter. The process consists of sizing, a double floatation step, magnetic separation, leaching and oxidative brightening steps. This is a novel combination of conventional unit operations and in particular the use of a double floatation step to remove quartz and various trace minerals that interfere with achieving high optical brightness for kaolin.

Abstract: Method of automatically separating and cleaning silicon carbide furnace materials using magnetic separation techniques. In the method of the invention, crushed or particulate silicon carbide furnace materials are mixed with a magnetic powder. The lower grade silicon carbide particles are then separated from the first grade silicon carbide crystals using magnetic separation. Recoveries of at least 75% of the first grade silicon carbide are possible using the method of the invention. This method is also useful for the beneficiation of ores, minerals, or man-made materials.

Abstract: Synthesis gas is produced by the partial oxidation of a feedstock comprising petroleum coke and/or heavy liquid hydrocarbon fuel containing sulfur and having an ash that contains nickel, vanadium and silicon. An iron-containing or an iron and calcium-containing additive is introduced into the reaction zone along with the feed. The additive combines with at least a portion of the iron and nickel constituents and sulfur found in the feedstock to produce a liquid phase washing agent that collects and transports at least a portion of the vanadium-containing oxide laths and spinels and other ash components out the reaction zone. Slag and other particulate matter is separated from the effluent gas stream and ground to produce a heterogeneous mixture of magnetic and non-magnetic solid particles.

Abstract: The method of the present invention is a novel comprehensive process for maximizing the recovery of valuable mineral values from coal ash. Options may also be included for the production of saleable inorganic chemical by-products. The process employs both physical and chemical extraction techniques that maximize the yield of products while reducing the quantity of waste produced. Valuable minerals and chemicals such as cenospheres (hollow microspheres), carbon, magnetite (Fe.sub.3 O.sub.4), alumina (Al.sub.2 O.sub.3), iron oxide (Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3) and iron chloride (FeCl.sub.3) may be produced. Due to removal of carbon, magnetite, and iron oxide from the coal ash, the processed ash comprises a quality pozzolan.

Abstract: A process for the beneficiation of an iron-containing material is carried out by first chlorinating the iron-containing material. Oxidation of ferrous chloride in the effluent gas from the chlorination is carried out under controlled conditions of oxygen supply so that more than 50% but less than 100% of the ferrous chloride is oxidized. In this way chlorine gas is separated from the process stream in a relatively pure form which can be utilized in a continuous process by recycle to another chlorination.

Abstract: Metal values, such as Co, Ni, Cu and Fe, are recovered from magnet alloy grinding sludge by means of a process comprising: (1) treatment with an organic solvent to remove a major portion of sulfur and oil contaminants, (2) drying, grinding, sizing and magnetic separation to remove a major portion of grinding media contamination, (3) controlled oxidation-roasting to selectively remove residual sulfur and carbon, and (4) gaseous hydrogen reduction to deoxidize metal values.

Abstract: A high quality iron oxide concentrate, suitable as a feed for blast and electric reduction furnaces is recovered from pulverized coal fly ash. The magnetic portion of the fly ash is separated and treated with a hot strong alkali solution which dissolves most of the silica and alumina in the fly ash, leaving a solid residue and forming a precipitate which is an acid soluble salt of aluminosilicate hydrate. The residue and precipitate are then treated with a strong mineral acid to dissolve the precipitate leaving a solid residue containing at least 90 weight percent iron oxide.

Abstract: A process for the removal of iron and titanium minerals from aluminum bearing materials in at least one chlorination stage by the use of an excess of aluminum trichloride as at least the major chlorinating agent for the contained iron and titanium minerals, condensing the excess aluminum trichloride to recover the aluminum trichloride in an impure form, and recycling the impure aluminum trichloride to the chlorination stage together with additional aluminum trichloride or starvation amounts of chlorine, or alternately additional amounts of aluminum trichloride and starvation amounts of chlorine.

Abstract: To a coal-fired furnace that uses electrostatic precipitation or a mechanical collector to collect fly ash, a mix of magnesia-alumina or magnesia-talc is added above the fireball (2600.degree.-3300.degree. F.). The additive increases the mean particle size of the fly ash and reduces its surface resistivity, thereby causing improved collection in the electrostatic precipitators or mechanical collector. Fine particulates containing heavy metals tend to be agglomerated; thus the invention permits recovery of substantial amounts of heavy metal contaminants that would otherwise be lost as stack emission.

Abstract: Kerogen-containing shale is crushed and comminuted to a fineness sufficient to free kerogen and any sulphides present in said shale. To enable the shale to be finely-divided more readily, the crushed shale is subjected to a leaching treatment prior to final comminution thereof.

Abstract: A method for preparing a coating grade kaolin clay from a crude clay including discoloring iron contaminants in the form of iron pyrites. The clay is roasted in an oxidizing atmosphere to convert at least a portion of the sulfurous contaminants to a form exhibiting increased magnetic susceptibility and increased solubility in chemical leachants. Thereafter, the clay is formed into an aqueous slurry and subjected to a magnetic field to remove at least part of the converted components, and then subjected to conventional leaching and filtering operations.