Extracting iron from aluminum salt solutions using bis(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid

Claim 1

THE PROCESS FOR PRODUCING A COLORLESS SUBSTANTIALLY IRON-FREE AQUEOUS ALUMINUM NITRATE SOLUTION WHICH COMPRISES: (1) CONTACTING SAID AQUEOUS SOLUTION CONTAINING IRON IMPURITIES AND AT LEAT 65% ALUMINUM NITRATE WITH SUFFICIENT HYDROGEN PEROXIDE TO OXIDIZE ALL OF THE IRON PRESENT TO THE FERRIC STATE, (2) INTIMATELY CONTACTING SAID IRON CONTAINING CONCENTRATED ALUMINIUM NITRATE SOLUTION WITH BIS (2-THYLHEXYL) PHOSPHORIC ACID IN KEROSENE FOR A TIME SUFFICIENT TO REMOVE SUBSTANTIALLY ALL THE IRON, ALLOWING THE AQUEOUS AND ORGANIC PHASES TO SEPARATE INTO A CLEAR UPPER ORGANIC LAYER AND A CLOUDY LOWER AQUEOUS LAYER CONTAINING ORGANIC SOLVENT RESDIUE, REMOVING THE ORGANIC LAYER, HEATING WHILE AGITATING THE CLOUDY AQUEOUS LAYER UNTIL SAID ORGANIC RESIDUE COAGULATES, SKIMMING THE COAGULANT OFF THE AQUEOUS LAYER, AND RECOVERING THE CLEAR AQUEOUS SUBSTANTIALLY IRON-FREE ALUMINUM NITRATE.