Process for the separation and recovery of inorganic salts

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR SEPARATING SODIUM CHLORITE, POTASSIUM CHLORATE AND CALCIUM SULFATE FROM MIXTURES CONTAINING THESE SALTS COMPRISING: REGULATING THE WATER CONTENT OF THE MIXTURE TO INSURE RETAINING THE SODIUM CHLORIATE AND POTASSIUM CHLORATE IN SOLUTION AT A TEMPERATURE AT LEAST AS LOW AS 25*C., FILTERING OUT MOST OF THE CALCIUM SULFATE AT ABOUT 25*C., CONCENTRATING THE FILTRATE BY EVAPORATION UNTIL IT IS SATURATED AS TO SODIUM CHLORITE IN SOLUTION AT ROOM TEMPERATURE, THEN FILTERING OUT POTASSIUM CHLORATE AT ABOUT 35*C. LEAVING A SOLUTION OF SODIUM CHLORITE AND POTASSIUM CHLORATE IN A MOLE RATIO APPROXIMATING BUT LESS THAN 92 MOLES SODIUM CHLORITE TO 8 MOLES OF POTASSIUM CHLORATE, AGAIN CONCENTRATING THE SOLUTION BY EVAPORATION UNTIL IT IS AGAINST SATURATED WITH POTASSIUM CHLORATE AT A TEMPERATURE OF AT LEAST 34*C., WHEREBY THERE IS PRECIPIATED A MIXTURE OF SODIUM CHLORITE AND CALCIUM SULFATE FROM THE SOLUTION, AND THEREAFTER SEPARATING THE PRECIPITATED MIXTURE FROM THE SOLUTION AT AN ELEVATED TEMPERATURE BELOW THE DECOMPOSITION TEMPERATURE OF SODIUM CHLORITE.