Process for reclaiming oxine flotation reagent from products of flotation

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR RECLAIMING OXINE FROM A PULP PRODUCT OF MINERAL FLOTATION IN WHICH THE OXINE WAS USED AS A FLOTATION REAGENT, WHICH PULP PRODUCT IS MADE UP OF MINERAL PARTICLES AND PRECIPITATED METAL QUINOLATES, IN AN AQUEOUS MEDIUM, SAID PROCESS COMPRISING THE STEPS OF ADJUSTING THE PH OF THE PULP TO APPROXIMATELY 10, SUBJECTING THE SOADJUSTED PULP TO FLATATION TO PRODUCE A FROTH FLOTATION CONCENTRATE CONTAINING SAID METAL QUINOLATES AND A TAILING CONTAINING SAID MINERAL PARTICLES, TREATING SAID FROTH CONCENTRATE WITH A MINERAL ACID TO DISSOLVE THE SAID METAL QUINOLATES, RESULTING IN A SOLUTION OF OXINE AND METAL IONS, INTRODUCING INTO SAID SOLUTION A STOICHIOMETRIC EXCESS OF IONS OF A HEAVY METAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP OF HEAVY METALS CONSISTING OF COPPER, NICKEL, COBALT, MERCURY, AND ANTIMONY, SO AS TO PLACE SAID OXINE IN THE FORM OF A SINGLE HEAVY METAL QUINOLATE, SEPARATING SAID HEAVY METAL QUINOLATE FROM THE SOLUTION, AND REMOVING THE METAL IONS FROM SAID SINGLE METAL QUINOLATE, TO YIELD AN OXINE SOLUTION WHICH IS USEFUL AS A REAGENT IN FURTHER MINERAL FLOTATION.