Process for separating inorganic cations from solution with hydrous oxide cation exchangers

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR SEPARATING INORGANIC CATIONS FROM AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION CONTAINING SUCH CATIONS COMPRISING CONTACTING SAID SOLUTION WITH A NON-SILICEOUS HYDROUS OXIDE CATION EXCHANGER; SAID CATION EXCHANGER CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF THE HYDROUS OXIDE OF AT LEAST ONE ELEMENT SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF TI(IV), ZR(IV), TH(IV), NB(V), TA(V), MO(VI), W(VI) AND SN(IV); THE PH OF SAID SOLUTION BEING SUFFICIENTLY HIGH TO PERMIT SAID CATION EXHCNAGER TO EXHIBIT SUCH CATION EXCHANGE CHARACTERISTICS IN THE PRESENCE OF SAID SOLUTION; SAID CATION EXCHANGER BEING SUBSTANTIALLY INSOLUBLE IN SAID SOLUTION; SAID CATION EXCHANGER, PRIOR TO ITS BEING PLACED IN CONTACT WITH SAID SOLUTION, BEING DRIED INSUFFICIENTLY TO DESTROY ITS HYDROUS CHARACTER INSUFFICIENTLY TO DESTROY ITS CATION EXCHANGE CHARACTERISTICS; SAID CATION EXCHANGER BEING PLACED IN CONTACT WITH A SUFFICIENT QUANTITY OF SAID SOLUTION FOR A SUFFICIENT PERIOD OF TIME TO REMOVE THE DESIRED QUANTITY OF SAID INORGANIC CATIONS FROM SAID SOLUTION, WHEREBY SAID CATION EXCHANGER WILL BECOME ENRICHED WITH SAID INORGANIC CATIONS; SEPARATING THE ENRICHED CATION EXCHANGER FROM SAID AQUEOUS SOLUTION; CONTACTING SAID ENRICHED CATION EXCHANGER WITH AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION CONTAINING A MATERIAL CAPABLE OF SUPPLYING IONS TO DISPLACE SAID INORGANIC CATIONS ON SAID CATION EXCHANGER; AND SEPARATING THE DENUDED CATION EXCHANGER AND SAID LAST MENTIONED AQUEOUS SOLUTION.