US4585548A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Recovery of metal values from mineral ores by incorporation in coal-oil agglomerates
Assignee: BP PLC
•
Filing: 1984-04-26
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Granted: 1986-04-29
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Expires: 2004-04-26
Abstract
Abstract Gold ore, or any other mineral treated to have a lyophilic surface, (e.g. chalcopyrites), is ground into a slurry in crusher (1) powdered coal and oil are added at location (2), and the mix is conveyed to a contact zone (3), where any micro-agglomerates formed are kept below 500 microns in size. Sequentially, the mix is passed to an agglomeration zone (4), where larger agglomerates of coal-oil and gold or the lyophilic mineral are allowed to form, then separated at (5) from the gangue (8), and recycle continuously via return line (6) and homogenister (7) to the contact zone (3), until a desired gold or mineral concentration in the agglomerates is achieved. Subsequently, the `loaded` coal-oil agglomerates are tapped off the return line (6) at (9), either batchwise or continuously, and the metal values are recovered by pyrometallurgical or concentional separation techniques.
Inventors
- 👤 Mark D. Cadzow
- 👤 Graham J. Elkes
- 👤 Gavin J. Ewin
- 👤 David E. Mainwaring
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 23:42
CPC Classifications
C; C22; C22B; C22B15/00; C22B15/0063; C22B15/0084; C22B15/0086; B; B03; B03B; B03B1/00; B03B1/04; B03B9/00; C22B1/00; C22B1/14; C22B1/16; C22B1/24; C22B1/242; C22B1/244; C22B11/00; C22B11/02; C22B11/04; C22B15/0002; C22B15/0004; C22B15/0008; Y; Y02; Y02P; Y02P10/00; Y02P10/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
143 words
A method of recovering a mineral selected from the group consisting of metal, metal oxide and metal sulfide, having a lyophilic surface, present in low concentration in a mixture of solids, comprising: grinding the mixture of solids, forming a slurry of said solids, adding thereto in a contacting zone a carbon source material and a hydrocarbon liquid, mixing said slurry of solids, carbon source and hydrocarbon liquid in an agglomeration zone to form agglomerates containing said lyophilic mineral, carbon source material and hydrocarbon liquid, separating said agglomerates from the remaining slurry of solids and subsequently recycling said separated agglomerates to said contacting zone, the size of agglomerates in said contacting zone, being below 500 microns, and repeating the process until the concentration of said lyophilic mineral in the separated agglomerates has reached a desired level and then recovering said mineral from said agglomerates.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
143 words
A method of recovering a mineral selected from the group consisting of metal, metal oxide and metal sulfide, having a lyophilic surface, present in low concentration in a mixture of solids, comprising: grinding the mixture of solids, forming a slurry of said solids, adding thereto in a contacting zone a carbon source material and a hydrocarbon liquid, mixing said slurry of solids, carbon source and hydrocarbon liquid in an agglomeration zone to form agglomerates containing said lyophilic mineral, carbon source material and hydrocarbon liquid, separating said agglomerates from the remaining slurry of solids and subsequently recycling said separated agglomerates to said contacting zone, the size of agglomerates in said contacting zone, being below 500 microns, and repeating the process until the concentration of said lyophilic mineral in the separated agglomerates has reached a desired level and then recovering said mineral from said agglomerates.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
52 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 in which the carbon source material, hydrocarbon liquid and ground solids are intimately mixed to increase surface contact in the contacting zone by using as the contacting zone a disintegration device selected from a rodmill, a shear scrubber, a pump/pipe loop or an in-line mixer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein further hydrocarbon liquid is added in the agglomeration zone.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the carbon source material is coal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein further hydrocarbon liquid is added in the agglomeration zone.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said slurry is formed before said grinding.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising: reducing the size of said recycled agglomerates before they are entered into said contacting zone.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
13 words
A method as claimed in claim 7 wherein said lyophilic mineral is gold.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as claimed in claim 8 wherein said gold is present in said mixture of solids in an amount less than 100 ppm.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method as claimed in claim 9 wherein said recovering of said mineral from said agglomerates comprises a pyrometallurgical technique.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
128 words
A method of recovering a mineral selected from the group consisting of metal, metal oxide and metal sulfide, present in low concentration in a mixture of solids comprising: providing said mineral with a lyophilic surface, grinding the mixture of solids, forming a slurry of said solids, contacting said slurry with a carbon source material and a hydrocarbon liquid in a contacting zone, mixing said slurry of solids, carbon source and hydrocarbon liquid in an agglomeration zone to form agglomerates containing said mineral, carbon source and hydrocarbon liquid, separating said agglomerates from the remaining slurry of solids, recycling said separated agglomerates to said contacting zone, and increasing the likelihood of contact between the carbon source and hydrocarbon liquid with said mineral by controlling the size of said recycled agglomerations.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
128 words
A method of recovering a mineral selected from the group consisting of metal, metal oxide and metal sulfide, present in low concentration in a mixture of solids comprising: providing said mineral with a lyophilic surface, grinding the mixture of solids, forming a slurry of said solids, contacting said slurry with a carbon source material and a hydrocarbon liquid in a contacting zone, mixing said slurry of solids, carbon source and hydrocarbon liquid in an agglomeration zone to form agglomerates containing said mineral, carbon source and hydrocarbon liquid, separating said agglomerates from the remaining slurry of solids, recycling said separated agglomerates to said contacting zone, and increasing the likelihood of contact between the carbon source and hydrocarbon liquid with said mineral by controlling the size of said recycled agglomerations.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein said lyophilic surface is provided by nature.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein said lyophilic surface is provided by treatment with a reagent.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein the size of agglomerates is controlled to be less than 500 microns.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as claimed in claim 14 and further comprising: adding additional hydrocarbon liquid in said agglomeration zone.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method as claimed in claim 15 and further comprising: reducing the size of said separated agglomerates before they are entered into said contacting zone.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
12 words
A method as claimed in claim 16 wherein said mineral is gold.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
12 words
A method as claimed in claim 16 wherein said mineral is chalcopyrite.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as claimed in claim 17 wherein said gold is present in said mixture of solids in an amount less than 100 ppm.
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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) | 1989-04-28 | 1989-10-28 | 1990-04-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-04-28 | 1993-10-28 | 1994-04-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-04-28 | 1997-10-28 | 1998-04-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |