POTENTIAL FOR INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS OF LOCALLY PRODUCED ZIRCONIUM CHEMICALS

The potential for using locally available acid zirconium sulphate trih ydrate (AZST) to produce zirconium chemicals and zirconia has been inv estigated. Solids which precipitate from AZST solutions upon ageing an d hydrolysis under hydrothermal conditions have been characterized by chemical analysis, particle size and surface area. When ageing AZST so lutions at pH values < 2 and room temperature, up to 90 % of the U and Th radioactive impurities in AZST remain in solution and do not appea r in the solid. Hydrolysis of AZST solutions under controlled conditio ns produces solids of constant composition which are calcined al 1000 degrees C to produce zirconia, Further, basic zirconium carbonate (BZC ) has been prepared on the laboratory scale by neutralization of AZST solution with ammonium carbonate, BZC of acceptable quality has been p repared, which could be used to produce zirconium chemicals for applic ations in the textile, paint and paper industries.