Method for forming aggregates from aqueous ore slurries

Claim 1

A METHOD FOR CONVERTING A SLURRY OF FINELY-DIVIDED MINERAL SOLIDS ARE CARBONACEOUS MATERIAL INTO AGGREGATES OF HOMOGENEOUS COMPOSITION WHICH COMPRISES PROVIDING AN AQUEOUS SLURRY CONTAINING MINERAL AND CARBONACEOUS PARTICLES OF LESS THAN 60 MESH SIZE, SAID SLURRY CONTAINING AN AMOUNT OF WATER IN EXCESS OF 30% BY WEIGHT BUT NOT IN EXCESS OF 40% BY WEIGHT THEREOF, FORMING A POOL OF SAID SLURRY IN A HORIZONTALLY DIPSOED CYLINDRICAL ZONE AND IMPINGING UPON THE SURFACE OF THE SAID POOL A CURRENT OF HIGH TEMPERATURE GASES WHEREBY WATER IS EVAPORATED FROM SAID SLURRY, SUBJECTING SAID SLURRY TO A ROLLING MOTION INTERIORLY OF SAID CIRCULAR CYLINDRICAL ZONE WHEREBY LUMPY AGGREGATES HAVING A PLURALITY OF SIZES ARE FORMED FROM SAID SLURRY AND ROLLING SAID AGGREGATES UPON EACH OTHER WHILE EVAPORATING WATER THEREFROM, SEPARATING THE FINER FROM THE LARGER SIZES OF SAID AGGREGATES, SUBJECTING THE LARGER SIZES OF SAID AGGREGATES TO A SIMULTANEOUS SHEARING AND DRYING PROCESS IN SAID ZONE WHILE FLOWING IN CONCURRENT FLOW RELATIONSHIP WITH RESPECT TO SAID GASES WHEREBY THE SAID LARGER SIZES ARE REDUCED IN SIZE AND MOISTURE CONTENT TO THAT OF SAID SMALLER SIZE AGGREGATES FRACTION, THE MOISTURE CONTENT OF SAID AGGREGATES BEING NOT IN EXCESS OF 15% BY WEIGHT.