Froth flotation method

Claim 1

IN A PROCESS FOR THE FROTH FLOTATION OF KAOLIN CLAY CONTAINING COLOR BODY IMPURITIES WHICH COMPRISES FORMING A DISPERSED AQUEOUS PULP OF KAOLIN CLAY USING AN ALKALI SILICATE AS A DISPERSANT FOR SAID CLAY, CONDITIONING SAID PULP FOR FROTH FLOTATION WITH A FATTY ACID COLLECTOR REAGENT SELECTIVE TO COLOR BODY IMPURITIES IN SAID CLAY AND FINELY DIVIDED INSOLUBLE MINERAL PARTICLES WHICH ARE REAGENTIZED WITH A FATTY ACID COLLECTOR REAGENT AND ARE FLOATABLE IN SAID PULP, SUBJECTING THE THUS CONDITIONED AQUEOUS PULP TO FROTH FLOTATION IN AN ALKALINE CIRCUIT THEREBY PRODUCING A FROTH PRODUCT WHICH IS A CONCENTRATE OF SAID COLOR BODY IMPURITIES IN INTIMATE ASSOCIATION WITH SAID COLLECTOR COATED MINERAL PARTICLES AND A MACHINE DISCHARGE PRODUCT WHICH IS A CONCENTRATE OF CLAY OF ENHANCED BRIGHTNESS, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES CONDITIONING THE FROTH PRODUCT IN THE FORM OF AN AQUEOUS PULP THEREOF WITH A MOLECULARLY DEHYDRATED PHOSPHATE DISPENSANT IN AN AMOUNT WITHIN THE RANGE OF ABOUT 2 1/2 TO 5 POUNDS PER TON OF THE ORIGINAL KAOLIN CLAY EMPLOYED IN THE PROCESS AND WITH A LIGHT PETROLEUM HYDROCARBON LIQUID, SUBJECTING THE THUS CONDITIONED AQUEOUS PULP TO FROTH FLOTATION THEREBY PRODUCING A FROTH PRODUCT WHICH IS A CONCENTRATE OF SAID MINERAL PARTICLES AND A MACHINE DISCHARGE WHICH IS A CONCENTRATE OF COLOR BODY IMPURITIES ORIGINALLY IN SAID CLAY.