Treatment for improving the operation of strong base anion exchange resins

Claim 1

IN AN ION EXCHANGE PROCESS FOR SEPARATING AND RECOVERING METALLIC VALUES FROM A SOLUTION MIXTURE IN WHICH THERE IS PRESENT ANIONIC SPECIES SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ANIONS OF ZINC AND CADMIUM WHICH ARE ORDINARILY SUBSTANTIALLY IRREVERSIBLY ABSORBED BY A STRONG BASE ANION EXCHANGE RESIN, THE STEPS COMPRISING TREATING SAID ZINC AND CADMIUM-FREE RESIN WHILE SUSPENDED IN AN AQUEOUS DILUTE SODIUM HYDROXIDE SOLUTION WITH AN OXIDING AGENT SELECTED FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF HYDROGEN PEROXIDE, SODIUM PEROXIDE AND SODIUM HYPROCHLORITE WHILE HEATING TO A TEMPERATURE NEAR THE BOILING POINT, SEPARATING SAID RESIN FROM THE SOLUTION BY A TREATMENT INCLUDING WASHING, CONVERTING SAID RESIN TO A SALT FORM, CONTACTING SAID SOLUTION OF METALLIC VALUES WITH SAID RESIN UNDER CONDITIONS WHEREIN SAID ANIONIC SPECIES OF MATERIALS IN ORDINARILY AT LEAST PARTIALLY IRREVERSIBLY ADSORBED, ELUTING ANIONS OF SAID SPECIES AWAY FROM OTHER ANIONS ADSORBED ON SAID RESIN AND THEREAFTER ELUTING SUBSTANTIALLY ALL OF SAID SPECIES FROM SAID RESIN.