US3917801A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Flotation of boric acid from sodium sulfate obtained during the processing of borate ores
Assignee: US Borax Inc
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Filing: 1974-01-03
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Granted: 1975-11-04
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Expires: 1994-01-03
Abstract
Abstract Clean crystalline boric acid is isolated from a slurry, obtained by reaction between a borate ore and sulfuric acid, and seriously contaminated with clay slimes and sodium sulfate, by the steps of adding a crystal modifier to the slurry, stirring said slurry at a temperature from about 55* to about 100*C., cooling said slurry to a temperature near Glauber''s salt transition temperature, adding a froth modifier to said slurry cooled to a temperature near Glauber''s salt transition temperature, subjecting said cooled slurry to a froth flotation manipulation, and separating the tailings of the froth flotation manipulation from floated materials consisting essentially of clean crystalline boric acid.
Inventors
- 👤 Martin Wilson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 04:41
CPC Classifications
C; C01; C01B; C01B35/00; C01B35/06; B; B03; B03B; B03B1/00; B03B1/04; C01B35/08; C01B35/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
117 words
A METHOD FOR ISOLATING CLEAN CRYSTALLINE BORIC ACID FROM A SLURRY, OBTAINED BY REACTION BETWEEN A BORATE ORE AND SULFURIC ACID AND SERIOUSLY CONTAMINATED WITH CLAY SLIMES AND SODIUM SULFATE, WHICH COMPRISES THE STEPS OF ADDING A CRYSTAL MODIFIER TO THE SLURRY, STIRRING SAID SLURRY TO WHICH THE CRYSTAL MODIFIER HAS BEEN ADDED AT A TEMPERATURE FROM ABOUT 55*C. TO ABOUT 100*C., COOLING SAID SLURRY TO A TEMPERATURE NEAR GLAUBER''S SALT TRANSITION TEMPERATURE, ADDING A FROTH MODIFIER TO SAID SLURRY COOLED TO A TEMPERATURE NEAR GLAUBER''S SALT TRANSITION TEMPERATURE, SUBJECTING SAID COOLED SLURRY TO A FROTH FLOTATION MANIPULATION, AND SEPARATING THE TAILINGS OF THE FROTH FLOTATION MANUPULATION FROM FLOATED MATERIALS CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF CLEAN CRYSTALLINE BORIC ACID.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
117 words
A METHOD FOR ISOLATING CLEAN CRYSTALLINE BORIC ACID FROM A SLURRY, OBTAINED BY REACTION BETWEEN A BORATE ORE AND SULFURIC ACID AND SERIOUSLY CONTAMINATED WITH CLAY SLIMES AND SODIUM SULFATE, WHICH COMPRISES THE STEPS OF ADDING A CRYSTAL MODIFIER TO THE SLURRY, STIRRING SAID SLURRY TO WHICH THE CRYSTAL MODIFIER HAS BEEN ADDED AT A TEMPERATURE FROM ABOUT 55*C. TO ABOUT 100*C., COOLING SAID SLURRY TO A TEMPERATURE NEAR GLAUBER''S SALT TRANSITION TEMPERATURE, ADDING A FROTH MODIFIER TO SAID SLURRY COOLED TO A TEMPERATURE NEAR GLAUBER''S SALT TRANSITION TEMPERATURE, SUBJECTING SAID COOLED SLURRY TO A FROTH FLOTATION MANIPULATION, AND SEPARATING THE TAILINGS OF THE FROTH FLOTATION MANUPULATION FROM FLOATED MATERIALS CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF CLEAN CRYSTALLINE BORIC ACID.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the temperature near Glauber''s salt transition temperature is between about 35*C. and about 40*C.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the temperature near Glauber''s salt transition temperature is between about 20*C. and about 25*C.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said crystal modifier is added in an amount between about 0.1 and about 5.0 pounds per ton of said borate ore.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said froth modifier is added in an amount between about 0.01 and about 2.0 pounds per ton of said borate ore.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said crystal modifier is selected from the group consisting of sulfated polyethyleneoxy ethers of linear aliphatic alcohols, sodium hydrocarbon sulfonates, polynaphthalene sulfonic acids and salts of polymeric carboxylic acids, and is added in an amount between about 0.25 and about 2.5 pounds per ton of said borate ore.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said froth modifier is an anionic silicone and is present in an amount between about 0.02 and about 0.75 pound per ton of said borate ore.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the borate ore is kernite.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the borate ore is kernite, the temperature near Glauber''s salt transition temperature is between about 30*C. and about 40*C., the crystal modifier is a salt of a polymeric carboxylic acid and the froth modifier is an anionic silicone.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the borate ore is kernite, the temperature near Glauber''s salt transition temperature is between about 35* and about 40*C., the crystal modifier is a salt of a polymeric carboxylic acid and the froth modifier is an anionic silicone.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said froth modifier is an anionic silicone and is present in an amount between about 0.02 and about 0.75 pound per ton of said borate ore and a frother is present in an amount between about 0.01 and about 0.03 pound per ton of said borate ore.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
91 words
A method for isolating clean crystalline boric acid from a slurry thereof contaminated with sodium sulfate, which comprises the steps of cooling the slurry to a temperature above Glauber''s salt transition temperature, adding to said slurry cooled to a temperature above Glauber''s salt transition temperature a crystal modifier and a froth modifier, subjecting said slurry to which the crystal modifier and the froth modifier have been added to a froth flotation manipulation, and separating the tailings of the froth flotation manipulation from floated materials consisting essentially of clean crystalline boric acid.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
91 words
A method for isolating clean crystalline boric acid from a slurry thereof contaminated with sodium sulfate, which comprises the steps of cooling the slurry to a temperature above Glauber''s salt transition temperature, adding to said slurry cooled to a temperature above Glauber''s salt transition temperature a crystal modifier and a froth modifier, subjecting said slurry to which the crystal modifier and the froth modifier have been added to a froth flotation manipulation, and separating the tailings of the froth flotation manipulation from floated materials consisting essentially of clean crystalline boric acid.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 12, wherein the temperature near Glauber''s salt transition temperature is between about 35*C. and about 40*C.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 12, wherein said crystal modifier is added in an amount between about 0.1 and about 5.0 pounds per ton of said boric acid in said slurry.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 12, wherein said froth modifier is added in an amount between about 0.01 and about 2.0 pounds per ton of boric acid in said slurry.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method of claim 12, wherein said crystal modifier is selected from the group consisting of sulfated polyethyleneoxy ethers of linear aliphatic alcohols, sodium hydrocarbon sulfonates, polynaphthalene sulfonic acids, polymeric aliphatic carboxylic acids and is added in an amount between about 0.25 and about 2.5 pounds per ton of boric acid in said slurry.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method of claim 12, wherein said froth modifier is selected from the group consisting of sulfated polyethyleneoxy ethers of linear aliphatic alcohols and aliphatic acid phosphate esters and anionic silicones and is present in an amount between about 0.02 and about 0.75 pound per ton of boric acid in said slurry.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 12, wherein said slurry is the product of reaction between a borate ore and sulfuric acid and the temperature near Glauber''s salt transition temperature is between about 35*C. and about 40*C.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 12, wherein said slurry is the product of reaction between kernite and sulfuric acid.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 12, wherein said slurry contains from about 10% by weight to about 40% by weight of solids.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 12, wherein said crystal modifier and said froth modifier are sulfated polyethyleneoxy ethers of linear aliphatic alcohols.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-11-03 | 1979-05-05 | 1979-11-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-11-03 | 1983-05-05 | 1983-11-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-11-03 | 1987-05-05 | 1987-11-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |