Stabilization of mixtures of granular solids such as borates and chlorates

Claim 1

THE METHOD OF TREATING A MIXTURE OF A PLURALITY OF SOLID GRANULAR COMPONENTS TO REDUCE SEGREGATION OF THE COMPONENTS, THE MIXTURE INCLUDING A FIRST COMPONENT WHICH IS A WATER SOLUBLE SOLID IN A STATE OF RELATIVELY GREAT HYDRATION, WHICH STATE IS STABLE IN THE PRESENCE OF THE OTHER COMPONENTS OF THE MIXTURE AT A TEMPERATURE BELOW AN EFFECTIVE TRANSITION TEMPERATURE, THE FIRST SAID COMPONENT BEING CAPABLE OF AN ALTERNATIVE STATE OF RELATIVELY LESS HYDRATION WHICH IS STABLE A TEMPERATURES ABOVE THAT EFFECTIVE TRANSITION TEMPERATURE IN THE PRESENCE OF THE OTHER COMPONENTS OF THE MIXTURE. AND A SECOND COMPONENT WHICH IS A WATER SOLUBLE SOLID; SAID METHOD COMPRISING HEATING THE MIXTURE TO A TEMPERATURE ABOVE THE SAID EFFECTIVE TRANSITION TEMPERATURE. WHEREBY WATER OF HYDRATTION IS RELEASED BY TRANSITION OF AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE FIRST COMPONENT FROM ITS RELATIVELY MORE HYDRATED STATE TO ITS RELATIVELY LESS HYDRATED STATE, AND WHEREBY PORTIONS AT LEAST OF THE TWO COMPONENTS ARE DISSOLVED. AND THEN COOLING THE MIXTURE TO A TEMPERATURE BELOW AND THE SAID EFFECTIVE TRANSITION TEMPERATURE, WHEREBY RELEASED WATER IS REABSORBED AS WATER OF HYDRATION OF THE FIRST COMPONENT AND THE DISSOLVED SOLUTES PRECIPITATED.