Ion-transfer technology = IT²

Developing new markets for products currently sold to the mining industry

Ion-Transfer Technology supplies technology and products for chemical processing applications that are similar to those supplied by the Mining Chemicals Technology Division, but are unrelated to the mining industry. We supply Alamine^® and Aliquat^® and Aloxime^® Reagents and technology for chemical processing applications. These applications include producing a limited number of metals by mining, and for recovery and/or purification of metals, production of organic and inorganic acids, wastewater treatment and phase transfer catalysts in organic synthesis.

The chemistry of our products involves three individual and quite distinct types of chemical reactions, using tertiary amines, quaternaries, oximes and diketones, and complexants.

In Alamine^® (tertiary amines) and Aliquat^® (quaternaries) reagents, the reaction is based on the principal of ion association, whereby a large positively charged organic moiety causes the extraction of the large anion from an aqueous phase into an organic phase.

In Aloxime^® reagents, the reaction is one of chelation, whereby the Aloxime^® anion chelates directly with a water-soluble cation permitting the cation to enter an organic phase.

With the complexants, the reaction is one of hydrogen bonding.

All three of these types of chemical reactions are used commercially in industrial applications outside the mining industry.

For further information about Ion-Transfer Technology or for technical assistance, please contact Steve Olafson.

For customer service, please contact Linda Smith.