US3933625A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electrical preconditioning in a selective flotation of sulfide ores
Assignee: Mitsui Kinzoku Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1974-01-09
•
Granted: 1976-01-20
•
Expires: 1994-01-09
Abstract
Abstract A flotation method for sulfide ores in which, prior to sulfide ore flotation for effecting a mutual separation of the ore constituents, there is carried out a pre-treatment or conditioning step by applying d-c current to the sulfide ore slurry by means of an electrode in order to depress the floatability of certain of the ore constituents.
Inventors
- 👤 Ikuo Nagano
- 👤 Kozo Saitoh
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 17:05
CPC Classifications
B; B03; B03B; B03B1/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
217 words
A method of ore separation which comprises: electrically preconditioning an ore pulp containing mixed metal sulfide ore particles selected from the group consisting of (1) mixtures of zinc sulfide and iron sulfide, (2) mixtures of molybdenum sulfide and copper sulfide, (3) mixtures of lead sulfide and copper sulfide, and (4) mixtures of lead sulfide and zinc sulfide, by applying DC current to said ore pulp from electrodes inserted in said pulp, at a current density of from 0.002 to 20 A/dm 2 and at a voltage of from 0.5 to 750 V, for a period of time effective to depress the flotability of iron sulfide in the case of mixture (1), copper sulfide in the case of mixtures (2) and (3), and lead sulfide in the case of mixture (4) relative to the remaining metal sulfides in the respective mixtures whereby to improve their separation characteristics; discontinuing application of said DC current; and then adding flotation agent to said electrically preconditioned pulp and subjecting said electrically preconditioned pulp to froth flotation in a flotation cell, and recovering from the flotation cell a concentrate of zinc sulfide in the case of mixture (1), molybdenum sulfide in the case of mixture (2), lead sulfide in the case of mixture (3), and zinc sulfide in the case of mixture (4).
Claim 2
Independent Claim
217 words
A method of ore separation which comprises: electrically preconditioning an ore pulp containing mixed metal sulfide ore particles selected from the group consisting of (1) mixtures of zinc sulfide and iron sulfide, (2) mixtures of molybdenum sulfide and copper sulfide, (3) mixtures of lead sulfide and copper sulfide, and (4) mixtures of lead sulfide and zinc sulfide, by applying DC current to said ore pulp from electrodes inserted in said pulp, at a current density of from 0.002 to 20 A/dm 2 and at a voltage of from 0.5 to 750 V, for a period of time effective to depress the flotability of iron sulfide in the case of mixture (1), copper sulfide in the case of mixtures (2) and (3), and lead sulfide in the case of mixture (4) relative to the remaining metal sulfides in the respective mixtures whereby to improve their separation characteristics; discontinuing application of said DC current; and then adding flotation agent to said electrically preconditioned pulp and subjecting said electrically preconditioned pulp to froth flotation in a flotation cell, and recovering from the flotation cell a concentrate of zinc sulfide in the case of mixture (1), molybdenum sulfide in the case of mixture (2), lead sulfide in the case of mixture (3), and zinc sulfide in the case of mixture (4).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1, in which an electric conditioning agent is added to said ore pulp prior to or during application of said DC current.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
55 words
The method of claim 2, in which said electric conditioning agent is selected from the group consisting of KOH, NaOH, Zn(OH) 2 , Ca(OH) 2 , NH 4 OH, HC1, H 2 SO 4 , HNO 3 , H 2 C 2 O 4 and CH 3 COOH and salts of the latter five acids.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
65 words
The method of claim 1, in which the material of said electrodes is selected from Al, Fe, Cu, Zn, Pb, Ni, alloys thereof and carbon, and is selected in relation to the constituent metal sulfides of said ore pulp so as to impose a substantially greater flotability depression on one of said metal sulfides than it does on another metal sulfide of said ore pulp.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 1, in which said ore pulp is a mixture of zinc sulfide and iron sulfide, said electrodes are made of Ni, and a concentrate of zinc sulfide is recovered as the froth.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 1, in which said ore pulp is a mixture of molybdenum sulfide and copper sulfide, said electrodes are made of Fe, and a concentrate of molybdenum sulfide is recovered as the froth.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 1, in which said ore pulp is a mixture of lead sulfide and copper sulfide, said electrodes are made of Al, and a concentrate of lead sulfide is recovered as the froth.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 1, in which said ore is a mixture of lead sulfide and zinc sulfide, said electrodes are made of Al, and a concentrate of zinc sulfide is recovered as the froth.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US554914A
Cited
US1126965A
Cited
FR505659A
Cited
DE398058C
Cited
DE477950C
Cited
US2084316A
Cited
US2258507A
Cited
GB914067A
Cited
US3745102A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1979-01-19 | 1979-07-21 | 1980-01-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1983-01-19 | 1983-07-21 | 1984-01-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1987-01-19 | 1987-07-21 | 1988-01-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |