Process and apparatus for separation of mineral ore from gangue material

Claim 2

The process as defined in claim 2 wherein, said rock material is black sand.

Claim 3

The process as defined in claim 3 wherein, said irradiating step is accomplished while said black sand is immersed in a liquid, and said frequency is selected to cause said magnetite crystals to vibrate at about a resonant frequency thereof.

Claim 4

The process as defined in claim 1 wherein, said irradiating step is accomplished by irradiating with ultrasonic waves having an amplitude below the amplitude required to cause fracturing and a substantial reduction in size of a substantial quantity of said mineral ore crystals.

Claim 5

The process as defined in claim 1 wherein, said irradiating step is accomplished by irradiating with ultrasonic waves having an amplitude above the amplitude required to cause fracturing of a substantial quantity of said mineral ore crystals to effect reduction in the size thereof.

Claim 6

The process as defined in claim 1, and simultaneously with said irradiating step, subjecting said rock material to ultrasonic waves from an additional source, said ultrasonic waves from said additional source having a frequency selected to differ from the frequency of said ultrasonic waves of said irradiating step.

Claim 7

A process for recovery of a mineral bearing ore from rock containing mineral ore crystals interlocked with and embedded in a gangue material comprising: a. irradiating said rock with ultrasonic waves having a frequency in the range of about 300,000 to about 1,200,000 cycles per second until fracturing occurs at the interfaces between said mineral ore crystals and said gangue material in a substantial quantity of said rock; and b. separating said mineral ore crystals from said gangue material.

Claim 8

The process as defined in claim 8 wherein, said gangue material is crystalline and the frequency of said ultrasonic waves is selected in said range to cause one of said mineral ore crystals and the crystalline gangue material to vibrate at about a resonant frequency thereof.

Claim 9

The process as defined in claim 8 wherein, said mineral ore crystals are magnetite and said gangue material includes rutile, and said ultrasonic waves have a frequency in the range of between about 700,000 to about 800,000 cycles per second.

Claim 10

The process as defined in claim 10 wherein, said frequency is selected to be about 750,000 cycles per second.

Claim 11

The process as defined in claim 8 wherein, said mineral ore crystals are magnetite and said gangue material includes rutile, and said ultrasonic waves have a frequency in the range of between about 1,000,000 and 1,200,000 cycles per second.

Claim 12

The process as defined in claim 8 wherein, said rock is selected as black sands containing magnetite ore crystals and rutile gangue material, and said rock material is immersed in salt water.

Claim 13

A process for recovery of a mineral bearing ore as defined in claim 8 wherein, said mineral ore crystals are ferromagnetic and said gangue material is substantially less magnetic than said mineral ore crystals; and said separating step is accomplished by: i. introducing a mixture of said mineral ore crystals and said gangue material and a liquid medium into a separation apparatus through an inlet portion in a first end thereof, said separation apparatus having an ore receiving portion and a gangue receiving portion adjacent a second end thereof with said ore receiving portion positioned above said gangue receiving portion; ii. urging said liquid medium to flow from said inlet portion to said ore receiving portion and said gangue receiving portion; iii. intermittently applying a vertically oriented magnetic force to said mixture from a position above said mixture and terminating said magnetic force to repetitively move the ferromagnetic mineral ore crystals upwardly through said liquid medium; and iv. allowing both said ferromagnetic mineral ore crystals and said gangue material to gravitate downwardly through said liquid medium while said magnetic force is terminated, said magnetic force being applied with a frequency causing said ferromagnetic mineral ore crystals to be maintained in the upper portion of said mixture as said mixture reaches said gangue and said ore receiving portion for deposit of said ferromagnetic ore crystals in said ore receiving portion.

Claim 14

The process for recovery of a mineral bearing ore as defined in claim 14 and the step of: reducing the rate of flow of said liquid medium as said liquid medium progresses from said inlet portion to said ore receiving portion and said gangue receiving portion.

Claim 15

A process for recovery of a mineral bearing ore as defined in claim 14 wherein, said separation apparatus includes a plurality of magnetic force generating means positioned in relatively spaced apart relation and extending from adjacent said inlet portion to adjacent said ore receiving portion; and said magnetic force is applied by each generating means sequentially commencing adjacent said inlet portion and progressively applied and then terminated in a direction toward said ore receiving portion.

Claim 16

A process for recovery of a mineral bearing ore as defined in claim 16 wherein, said magnetic force is applied in the following sequence: a first magnetic force is applied to said mixture by a first generating means while adjacent generating means to said first generating means apply substantially zero magnetic force to said mixture; said first magnetic force is terminated and a second magnetic force is applied to said mixture by second generating means positioned between said first generating means and said ore receiving portion while adjacent generating means to said second generating means apply substantially zero magnetic force to said mixture; and said second magnetic force is terminated and subsequent magnetiC forces are applied to said mixture by subsequent generating means, each said subsequent generating means being progressively positioned between the next preceding generating means applying a magnetic force and said ore receiving portion and said generating means adjacent said subsequent generating means apply substantially zero magnetic force to said mixture during activation of each of said subsequent generating means.

Claim 17

Apparatus for the formation of a mixture of ferromagnetic ore and non-ferromagnetic gangue material from rock containing said ore and said gangue material and for separation of said ore and said gangue material comprising: a. a treatment flow channel having an inlet opening for receipt of rock containing said ore and said gangue material, said treatment flow channel being adapted for receipt and flow of a liquid medium therethrough and having a discharge opening communicating with an inlet opening in a separation flow channel; b. ultrasonic wave generating means positioned adjacent said treatment flow channel intermediate said inlet and discharge openings and formed for irradiation of said rock with ultrasonic waves while immersed in said liquid medium and positioned in said treatment flow channel; c. a separation flow channel formed to contain said liquid medium, said ore and said gangue material therein, said flow channel being formed with an inlet opening at a first end thereof communicating with said discharge opening in said treatment flow channel and terminating in an ore receiving portion and a gangue receiving portion adjacent a second end thereof; d. means for causing said liquid medium to flow through from said treatment flow channel and said separation flow channel to said ore and gangue receiving portions operatively connected to said separation flow channel; e. magnetic force generating means positioned superjacent said flow channel and formed to apply magnetic forces to said ore and gangue material as immersed in said liquid medium and positioned in said flow channel, said generating means being further formed to apply and terminate said magnetic forces intermittently at discrete intervals along said flow channel intermediate of said inlet opening in said separation flow channel and said ore receiving portion; and f. magnetic control means connected to said magnetic force generating means and formed to repetitively cause said magnetic generator means to apply intermittent magnetic forces at discrete intervals along said separation flow channel progressively in a direction from said inlet opening therein to said ore receiving portion.

Claim 18

Apparatus as defined in claim 18, and pump means connected to urge said rock and liquid medium from said inlet opening through said treatment flow channel and to said discharge opening and through said separation flow channel; and ultrasonic wave reflecting means positioned on a side opposite said treatment flow channel from said ultrasonic wave generating means and formed and positioned to reflect ultrasonic waves passing across said treatment flow channel back across said treatment flow channel toward said ultrasonic wave generating means.