In the past the so-called spent zeolite brines hardened with calcium and magnesium values have been released as ordinary sewage or placed in ponds where their presence has formed an ecological problem and, further, in some jurisdictions subject to civil and criminal sanctions. The problem is increasingly acute where the spent zeolite brines are in areas where water is scarce and the ordinary salinite of water supplies is high. To avoid this, manufacturers have generally utilized processes which comprise converting hard or spent brine from zeolite to chemical forms which are disposable and/or commercially usable.