PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF CESIUM COMPOUNDS

摘要

Disclosed is a process for purifying a cesium compound which includes an ionic impurity comprising: calcium, sulfate, magnesium or mixtures thereof comprising: reacting impurities comprising calcium, sulfate, magnesium or mixtures thereof in a solution including the solubilized starting cesium compound with suitable precipitating agents to form an insoluble precipitate including the impurity or impurities. Preferred precipitating agents include barium ion to precipitate sulfate ionic impurities as barium sulfate; hydroxyl ion to precipitate magnesium ionic impurities as magnesium hydroxide and to precipitate calcium ionic impurities as calcium hydroxide; and carbon dioxide or carbonate ion to precipitate calcium ionic impurities as calcium carbonate. Also disclosed is a process for producing a predetermined cesium compound. The process comprises treating a cesium-including material with a suitable reagent to dissolve at least a portion of the cesium contained in the material and form a slurry; adding a base comprising slaked lime or calcium carbonate and, if necessary to produce the desired cesium compound, an acid including the anion of the predetermined cesium compound to the slurry comprising the dissolved cesium; and separating the predetermined cesium compound. In one embodiment of the invention, there is provided a process for producing a predetermined cesium compound from an ore comprising cesium aluminosilicate comprising: treating an ore comprising cesium aluminosilicate with an acid to form a slurry and dissolve at least a portion of the cesium contained in the ore; adding a base comprising slaked lime or calcium carbonate and a quantity of an acid including the anion of the predetermined cesium compound to the slurry comprising dissolved or solubilized cesium; and separating the predetermined cesium compound. A drilling fluid or heavy medium separation fluid comprising a purified cesium compound and having a specific gravity of between about 1.2 g/cm3 and about 2.5 g/cm3 and having less than 85 % by weight of the predetermined cesium compound on a solution basis is also disclosed.