Process for the preparation of alkali or alkaline-earth metal cyanide granulates and the obtained high purity alkali metal cyanide granulates

Preparation of alkali or alkaline earth metal cyanide granules involves spraying an aqueous alkali metal hydroxide solution or an aqueous alkaline earth metal hydroxide suspension onto a fluidised product seed bed at 100-250 degrees C in a fluidised bed spray granulation reactor which is supplied with a hydrogen cyanide-containing gas in amount ≥ 1 mol HCN per metal equivalent, the introduced and formed water being evaporated by the fluidising gas supplied at 110-500 degrees C. Also claimed are sodium or potassium cyanide granules having a spherical particle shape with a smooth or raspberry-like surface structure, 0.1-20 mm particle diameter for 99 wt.% of the granules, ≥ 600 g/dm bulk density, less than 1 wt.% wear measured by the roller wear test (Erwaka TAR wear tester, 20 g sample, 60 minutes, 20 rpm.) and a clumping index of NOTGREATER 4 (measured by 14 day 10g load application onto a 100 g sample in a 5.5 cm inside diameter cylinder), the novelty being that the alkali metal carbonate content is less than 0.5 wt.% and the alkali metal formate content is less than 0.3 wt.%, the alkali metal in these by-products being the same as that in the cyanide. Preferably, the total alkali metal carbonate and alkali metal formate content is less than 0.4 wt.% and the granules are prepared by the above process using reaction gas from a BMA process and superheated steam as fluidising gas.