US4416768A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Ore beneficiation
Assignee: Quebec Cartier Mining Co
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Filing: 1982-04-02
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Granted: 1983-11-22
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Expires: 2002-04-02
Abstract
Abstract Ground ore is processed in a series of three spiral concentrators wherein the initial spiral is operated to reject a tailing of a predetermined low value, the second spiral is operated to maximize the removal of locked middlings, and the third spiral is operated to obtain a concentrate of a predetermined value.
Inventors
- 👤 Sami S. Nosseir
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 05:33
CPC Classifications
B; B03; B03B; B03B9/00; B03B5/00; B03B5/62; B03B5/626
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
110 words
Method of processing ore comprising (A) grinding and screening said ore to a size containing a significant portion of locked middlings, (B) separating the screened undersize in a rougher spiral to obtain a low-value tailing and a concentrate which includes a major portion of locked middlings, (C) passing the concentrate therefrom including the locked middlings to a cleaner spiral for separation into (i) a cleaner concentrate and (ii) a cleaner tailing, the cleaner tailing comprising (a) a cleaner water fraction and (b) a cleaner sand fraction predominating in locked middlings, (D) recycling the cleaner sand fraction for regrinding, and (E) further processing the cleaner concentrate to obtain a final product.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
110 words
Method of processing ore comprising (A) grinding and screening said ore to a size containing a significant portion of locked middlings, (B) separating the screened undersize in a rougher spiral to obtain a low-value tailing and a concentrate which includes a major portion of locked middlings, (C) passing the concentrate therefrom including the locked middlings to a cleaner spiral for separation into (i) a cleaner concentrate and (ii) a cleaner tailing, the cleaner tailing comprising (a) a cleaner water fraction and (b) a cleaner sand fraction predominating in locked middlings, (D) recycling the cleaner sand fraction for regrinding, and (E) further processing the cleaner concentrate to obtain a final product.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
13 words
Method of claim 1 wherein the grinding is conducted in an autogenous mill.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
Method of claim 1 wherein the cleaner concentrate is further processed in a recleaner spiral to obtain a recleaner concentrate and a fraction of middlings, and recycling said middlings to the intake of the rougher spiral.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
10 words
Method of claim 1 wherein the ore is specular hematite.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
Method of claim 1 wherein the grinding and screening size of step (A) is -3 mm.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
76 words
Method of beneficiating ground ore in a series of spiral concentrators comprising (a) operating a rougher spiral to produce (1) a tailing having an iron content no greater than a predetermined maximum and (2) a concentrate, (b) operating a cleaner spiral to remove locked middlings from the concentrate obtained in the rougher spiral, and (c) operating a recleaner spiral to produce a product of the desired iron content from the concentrate obtained in the cleaner spiral.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
76 words
Method of beneficiating ground ore in a series of spiral concentrators comprising (a) operating a rougher spiral to produce (1) a tailing having an iron content no greater than a predetermined maximum and (2) a concentrate, (b) operating a cleaner spiral to remove locked middlings from the concentrate obtained in the rougher spiral, and (c) operating a recleaner spiral to produce a product of the desired iron content from the concentrate obtained in the cleaner spiral.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
Method of claim 6 in which the locked middlings are reground and introduced to the rougher spiral feed.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
Method of claim 6 in which mechanical middlings are recovered in the recleaner spiral and introduced without regrinding to the rougher spiral.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 7 in which mechanical middlings are recovered in the recleaner spiral and introduced without regrinding to the rougher spiral.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
12 words
Method of claim 7 wherein nothing is discarded from the recleaner spiral.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
Method of claim 6 wherein the ore has a Taggart Concentration Criteria factor of about 2.0 to about 3.0.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1986-11-21 | 1987-05-23 | 1987-11-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1990-11-21 | 1991-05-23 | 1991-11-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1994-11-21 | 1995-05-23 | 1995-11-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |