Abstract:
1. A PROCESS FOR CONVERING MONOCLINIC ZIRCONIUM OXIDE TO CUBIC ZIRCONIUM OXIDE, WHICH MONOLINIC ZIICONIUM OXIDE HAS BEEN OBTAINED BY THE FLOTATION SEPARATION OF A ZIRCONIUM OXIDE-SILICON OXIDE MIXTURE, INCLUDING FINELY GRANULATING THE ZIRCONIUM OXIDE RECOVERED FROM SAID FLOTATION SEPARATION; TREATING SAID GRANULATE FROM SAID FLUORIIC ACID SOLUTION HAVING A CONCENTRATION OF BETWEEN 5 AND 10% SEPARATING THE SO-TREATED GRANULATE FROM SAID SOLUTION, MIXING SAID GRANULATE WITH AT LEAST ONE OXIDE OF A METAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF CALCIUM, MAGNESIUM, YTTRIUM, THORIUM AND CERIUM; AND HEATING SUCH MIXTURE TO ABOUT 1,000 TO 2,000:C., WHEREBY CONVERTING SAID MONOCLINIC CRYSTAL STRUCTURE SUBSTANTIALLY TO A CUBIC CRYSTAL STRUCTURE IN THE SOLID STATE.