Bivalent or multivalent metal chloride in aqueous solution is decomposed in the presence of oxygen to produce HCl and the corresponding metal oxide. Hydrochloric acid recovered by adiabatic absorption from the decomoposition gas is concentrated by extractive distillation in contact with concentrated metal chloride solution. The resulting solution is concentrated by heat exchange with the hot decomposition gas. At least part of the solution of high concentration is supplied to the thermal decomposition stage at a metal chloride rate corresponding to the metal chloride content of the incoming aqueous liquor.
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