Zeolite agglomerates and the preparation thereof

Claim 1

A METHOD FOR AGGLOMERATING A ZEOLITE INTO HARD, WATER-STABLE PARTICLES WHICH COMPRISES MIXING FINELY DIVIDED PARTICLES OF AN ACID-RESISTANT ZEOLITE IN THE PRESENCE OF WATER WITH 81) AN ALKALI METAL HYDROXIDE, (2) A SOURCE OF ALKALI REACTIVE SILICA IN THE FORM OF A FINELY DIVIDED SOLID MATERIAL, SAID ALKALI REACTIVE SILICA BEING SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF HYDRATED SILICA, AMORPHOUS SILICA, CLAY AND THE SILICA RESIDUE OBTAINED BY ACID LEACHING A SILICATE MINERAL ORIGINALLY HAVING A CONTINUOUS SILICA NETWORK, AND (3) A FINELY DIVIDED SOURCE OF A MATERIAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ALKALINE EARTH METAL OXIDE AND ALKALINE EARTH METAL HYDROXIDE, SAID INGREDIENTS (1), (2) AND (3) BEING ADDED IN AMOUNTS SUFFICIENT TO PROVIDE ATTRITION-RESISTANT BONDED AGGLOMERATES WHICH MAINTAIN THEIR FORM IN THE PRESENCE OF ACID SOLUTION, FORMING THE MIXTURE INTO AGGLOMERATES AND DRYING THE AGGLOMERATES TO EFFECT THEIR HARDENING.