Catalytic process for preparing cuprous oxide from mixed copper oxides

Claim 1

THE PROCESS OF PREPARING COMMERCIALLY PURE, RED, CUPROUS OXIDE FROM OXIDIC COPPER COMPOUNDS SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF CUPRIC OXIDE, AND MIXTURES OF CUPRIC AND CUPROUS OXIDES HAVING A TOTAL REDUCING POWER BELOW ABOUT 95% THAT OF CUPROUS OXIDE, WHICH COMPRISES: ADJUSTING THE TOTAL REDUCING POWER OF THE STARTING MATERIAL TO A LEVEL BETWEEN ABOUT 95% AND 105% THAT OF CUPROUS OXIDE; THEN TREATING THE ADJUSTED MATERIAL WITH AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION OF CATALYST SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF AMMONIUM PERSULFATE, ALKALIMETAL PERSULFATE, AND MIXTURES THEREOF, SAID SOLUTION PROVIDING BETWEEN ABOUT 0.5% AND 5% OF CATALYST AND BETWEEN ABOUT 10% AND ABOUT 30% OF WATER BY WEIGHT ON THE STARTING MATERIAL, SAID TREATMENT BEING CARRIED OUT UNDER SUBSTANTIALLY NON-OXIDIZING CONDITIONS AT TEMPERATURES BETWEEN ABOUT 40* F. AND 150* F. UNTIL THE CUPROUS OXIDE CONTENT OF THE TREATED MATERIAL, ON A DRY BASIS, IS AT LEAST ABOUT 95%; AND THEREAFTER DRYING THE TREATED MATERIAL UNDER SUBSTANTIALLY NON-OXIDIZING CONDITIONS.