Electrostatic separation of minerals

Claim 1

A METHOD FOR THE ELECTROSTATIC SEPARATION OF POTASSIUM-SALT-CONTAINING MINERAL COMPOSITES INTO INDIVIDUAL COMPONENTS RESULTING IN A PERCENT BY WEIGHT K2O-YIELD OF MORE THAN 90%, COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: (A) CRUSHING SAID MINERAL COMPOSITES TO A SIZE BELOW 10 MESH; (B) MIXING SAID CRUSHED MINERAL COMPOSITES INCLUDING DUST PARTICLES OF SAID MINERAL COMPOSITES WITH 0.010.66 LB. OF A SURFACE CONDITIONING REAGENT PER TON OF CRUSHED MINERAL COMPOSITES, SAID SURFACE CONDITIONING REAGENT CONSISTING OF ORGANIC ANIONIC AGENTS CAPABLE OF FORMING AN ORGANIC NEGATIVELY CHARGED RADICAL ALONG WITH THE SPLITING OFF OF POSITIVE IONS, SAID ORGANIC NEGATIVELY CHARGED RADICALS SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF THE SALTS OF CARBOXYLIC ACIDS, SALTS OF SULFONIC ACIDS, ORGANIC SURFATES, NAPHTHOLS AND MIXTURES THEREOF IN THE FORM OF AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS AND DISPERSIONS; (C) HEATING SAID MIXTURE TO A TEMPERATURE BETWEEN 100* F. AND 140*F.; (D) ELECTROSTATICALLY SEPARATING SAID MIXTURE AT A FIELD GRADIENT OF 7500-22,500 VOLTS/INCH AND A TEMPERATURE BETWEEN 100*F. AND 175*F. INTO A K2O-ENRICHED FIRST CONCENTRATE FRACTION, A MIDDLING FRACTION, AND A K2O-POOR RESIDUE; (E) REMOVING SAID K2O-POOR RESIDUE; (F) RETURNING SAID FIRST MIDDLING FRACTION FOR RECYCLING THROUGH THE PROCESS; AND (G) ELECTROSTATICALLY SEPARATING SAID FIRST CONCENTRATE AGAIN THEREBY OBTAINING A FINAL CONCENTRATE AND A SECOND MIDDLING FRACTION WHICH IS RECYCLED IN CONTINUOUS OPERATION OF THE PROCESS.

Claim 2

A METHOD FOR THE ELECTROSTATIC SEPARATION OF POTASSIUM-SALT-CONTAINING MINERAL COMPOSITES INTO INDIVIDUAL COMPONENTS RESULTING IN A PERCENT BY WEIGHT K2O-YIELD OF MORE THAN 90%, COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: (A) CRUSHING SAID MINERAL COMPOSITES TO A SIZE BELOW 10 MESH; (B) MIXING SAID CRUSHED MINERAL COMPOSITES INCLUDING DUST PARTICLES OF SAID MINERAL COMPOSITES WITH 0.010.66 LB. OF A SURFACE CONDITIONING REAGENT PER TON OF CRUSHED MINERAL COMPOSITES, SAID SURFACE CONDITIONING REAGENT CONSISTING OF ORGANIC ANIONIC AGENTS CAPABLE OF FORMING AN ORGANIC NEGATIVELY CHARGED RADICAL ALONG WITH THE SPLITING OFF OF POSITIVE IONS, SAID ORGANIC NEGATIVELY CHARGED RADICALS SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF THE SALTS OF CARBOXYLIC ACIDS, SALTS OF SULFONIC ACIDS, ORGANIC SURFATES, NAPHTHOLS AND MIXTURES THEREOF IN THE FORM OF AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS AND DISPERSIONS; (C) HEATING SAID MIXTURE TO A TEMPERATURE BETWEEN 100* F. AND 140*F.; (D) ELECTROSTATICALLY SEPARATING SAID MIXTURE AT A FIELD GRADIENT OF 7500-22,500 VOLTS/INCH AND A TEMPERATURE BETWEEN 100*F. AND 175*F. INTO A K2O-ENRICHED FIRST CONCENTRATE FRACTION, A MIDDLING FRACTION, AND A K2O-POOR RESIDUE; (E) REMOVING SAID K2O-POOR RESIDUE; (F) RETURNING SAID FIRST MIDDLING FRACTION FOR RECYCLING THROUGH THE PROCESS; AND (G) ELECTROSTATICALLY SEPARATING SAID FIRST CONCENTRATE AGAIN THEREBY OBTAINING A FINAL CONCENTRATE AND A SECOND MIDDLING FRACTION WHICH IS RECYCLED IN CONTINUOUS OPERATION OF THE PROCESS.