Patent US3215249A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US4589488A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4589488A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method for recovery of mineral resources
Assignee: Phillips Petroleum Co
•
Filing: 1983-06-21
•
Granted: 1986-05-20
•
Expires: 2003-06-21
Abstract
Abstract A method for the recovery of mineral resources, such as metallic minerals, petroleum, etc., from solid materials, such as subsurface earth formations, including; partially burning a hydrogen-containing fuel in the presence of an oxidizing agent under conditions to produce partial oxidation products, such as alcohols, hydrogen peroxide, aldehydes, ketones, etc., terminating the burning to prevent decomposition of the partial oxidation products and contacting the solid materials with the partial oxidation products and contacting the solid materials with the partial oxidation products and an alkaline or acidic material.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert M. Schirmer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 11:54
CPC Classifications
E; E21; E21B; E21B43/00; E21B43/28; E21B43/281; E21B43/16; E21B43/24; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S208/00; Y10S208/951
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
117 words
A method for the recovery of fossilized organic substances from solid materials containing such fossilized organic substances comprising: (a) burning a hydrogen-containing fuel in the presence of an oxidizing agent in at least one burning step and under conditions sufficient to produce at least one effluent containing significant amounts of partial oxidation products, including significant amounts of alcohols and at least one material selected from the group consisting of hydrogen peroxide, aldehydes and ketones; (b) terminating said burning step to prevent significant decomposition of the thus produced partial oxidation products and the formation of products of complete combustion therefrom; and (c) contacting said solid materials containing said fossilized organic substances with said effluent and an alkaline material.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
117 words
A method for the recovery of fossilized organic substances from solid materials containing such fossilized organic substances comprising: (a) burning a hydrogen-containing fuel in the presence of an oxidizing agent in at least one burning step and under conditions sufficient to produce at least one effluent containing significant amounts of partial oxidation products, including significant amounts of alcohols and at least one material selected from the group consisting of hydrogen peroxide, aldehydes and ketones; (b) terminating said burning step to prevent significant decomposition of the thus produced partial oxidation products and the formation of products of complete combustion therefrom; and (c) contacting said solid materials containing said fossilized organic substances with said effluent and an alkaline material.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
101 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein a first burning step is carried out under conditions sufficient to produce a first effluent containing significant amounts of partial oxidation products, including at least one material selected from the group consisting of hydrogen peroxide, aldehydes and ketones, and a second burning step is carried out under conditions sufficient to produce a second effluent containing partial oxidation products, including significant amounts of alcohols, and the solid materials are contacted with the first effluent from the first burning step and the alkaline material and, thereafter, with the second effluent from the second burning step.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
113 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the fossilized organic substances are petroleum present in a subsurface earth formation penetrated by at least borehole, a first burning step is carried out under conditions sufficient to produce a first effluent containing partial oxidation products, including at least one material selected from the group consisting of hydrogen peroxide, aldehydes and ketones, a second burning step is carried out under conditions sufficient to produce a second effluent containing significant amounts of partial oxidation products, including alcohols, the first effluent from the first burning step and the alkaline material are contacted with the solid materials and, thereafter, with the second effluent from the second burning step.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
113 words
A method for the recovery of mineral resources from solid materials containing such mineral resources comprising: (a) burning a hydrogen-containing fuel in the presence of an oxidizing agent under conditions sufficient to produce an effluent containing significant amounts of partial oxidation products, including at least one material selected from the group consisting of hydrogen peroxide and formaldehyde; (b) limiting the residence time of said burning step, at least in part, by introducing a quench fluid, comprising an aqueous solution of a material selected from the group consisting of an alkaline material and an acidic material into said effluent; and (c) contacting said solid materials with said effluent containing the thus introduced quench fluid.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
113 words
A method for the recovery of mineral resources from solid materials containing such mineral resources comprising: (a) burning a hydrogen-containing fuel in the presence of an oxidizing agent under conditions sufficient to produce an effluent containing significant amounts of partial oxidation products, including at least one material selected from the group consisting of hydrogen peroxide and formaldehyde; (b) limiting the residence time of said burning step, at least in part, by introducing a quench fluid, comprising an aqueous solution of a material selected from the group consisting of an alkaline material and an acidic material into said effluent; and (c) contacting said solid materials with said effluent containing the thus introduced quench fluid.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
74 words
A method in accordance with claim 4 wherein the mineral resources are fossilized organic materials, the burning step is carried out under conditions sufficient to produce an effluent containing significant amounts of hydrogen peroxide and the solid material is contacted with said effluent, an alkaline material and an oxidation catalyst, whereby components of said fossilized organic substance react with said hydrogen peroxide to form acids and said alkaline material converts said acids to surfactants.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
64 words
A method in accordance with claim 4 wherein the mineral resources are fossilized organic substances, the burning step is carried out under conditions sufficient to produce an effluent containing significant amounts of formaldehyde and the solid materials are contacted with said effluent and an alkaline sulfite, whereby components of said fossilized organic substance react with said formaldehyde and said alkaline sulfite to form surfactants.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
96 words
A method in accordance with claim 4 wherein the mineral resources are fossilized organic substances, the burning step is carried out under conditions sufficient to produce an effluent containing significant amounts of hydrogen peroxide and formaldehydes and the solid contact material is contacted with said effluent, an alkaline material, and an alkaline sulfite, whereby components of said fossilized organic substance react with said hydrogen peroxide to form acids and said alkaline material converts said acids to surfactants and other components of said fossilized organic substance react with said formaldehyde and said alkaline sulfite to form surfactants.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
49 words
A method in accordance with claim 4 wherein the mineral resources are petroleum present in a subsurface earth formation penetrated by at least one borehole, the burning step is carried out in said borehole adjacent said subsurface earth formation and the effluent is injected into said subsurface earth formation.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
88 words
A method for the recovery of mineral resources from solid materials containing such mineral resources, comprising: (a) burning a hydrogen-containing fuel in the presence of an oxidizing agent under conditions sufficient to produce an effluent containing significant amounts of partial oxidation products; (b) limiting the residence time of said burning step, at least in part, by introducing a quench fluid into said effluent; and (c) contacting said solid materials with said effluent and a material selected from the group consisting of an alkaline material and an acidic material.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
88 words
A method for the recovery of mineral resources from solid materials containing such mineral resources, comprising: (a) burning a hydrogen-containing fuel in the presence of an oxidizing agent under conditions sufficient to produce an effluent containing significant amounts of partial oxidation products; (b) limiting the residence time of said burning step, at least in part, by introducing a quench fluid into said effluent; and (c) contacting said solid materials with said effluent and a material selected from the group consisting of an alkaline material and an acidic material.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method in accordance with claim 9 wherein the mineral resources are fossilized organic substances.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method in accordance with claim 10 wherein the burning step is carried out under conditions sufficient to produce partial oxidation products, including at least one material selected from the group consisting of hydrogen peroxide, aldehydes, ketones and esters.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
65 words
A method in accordance with claim 11 wherein the burning step is carried out under conditions sufficient to produce partial oxidation products containing significant amounts of hydrogen peroxide and the effluent and the alkaline material are contacted with the solid material, whereby components of the fossilized organic substance react with said hydrogen peroxide to form acids and said alkaline material converts said acids to surfactants.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
59 words
A method in accordance with claim 11 wherein the burning step is carried out under conditions sufficient to produce partial oxidation products containing significant amounts of formaldehyde and the solid materials are contacted with the effluent and an alkaline sulfite, whereby the components of the fossilized organic substance react with said formaldehyde and said alkaline sulfite to form surfactants.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
89 words
A method in accordance with claim 11 wherein the burning step is carried out under conditions sufficient to produce partial oxidation products containing significant amounts of hydrogen peroxide and formaldehyde and the solid materials are contacted with the effluent, the alkaline material and an alkaline sulfite, whereby components of the fossilized organic substance react with said hydrogen peroxide to form acids and said alkaline material converts said acids to surfactants and other components of said fossilized organic substances react with said formaldehyde and said alkaline sulfite to produce surfactants.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method in accordance with claim 11 wherein the fossilized organic substances are petroleum present in a subsurface earth formation penetrated by at least one borehole.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
48 words
A method in accordance with claim 15 wherein the burning step is carried out at the surface of the earth, the effluent is passed down the borehole and into the subsurface earth formation and the alkaline material is separately passed down the borehole and into said subsurface formation.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method in accordance with claim 15 wherein the burning step is carried out in the borehole adjacent the subsurface earth formation and the effluent and the alkaline material are injected into said subsurface earth formation.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method in accordance with claim 9 wherein the quench fluid is an aqueous solution of the material selected from the group consisting of an alkaline material and an acidic material.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method in accordance with claim 18 wherein the mineral resources are multivalent, metallic minerals.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method in accordance with claim 19 wherein the burning step is carried under conditions sufficient to produce partial oxidation products containing significant amounts of hydrogen peroxide.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method in accordance with claim 20 wherein the solid material is contacted with the effluent and an aqueous alkaline leach solution adapted to extract the metallic minerals from said solid material.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method in accordance with claim 20 wherein the solid material is contacted with the effluent of the burning step and an aqueous acidic leach solution adapted to extract the metallic minerals from said solid material.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
NL52522C
Cited
US15789A
Cited
USRE15789E
Cited
US3387655A
Cited
US3757861A
Cited
US4155982A
Cited
US4320923A
Cited
US4113017A
Cited
US4337979A
Cited
US4270802A
Cited
US4425307A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-05-19 | 1989-11-18 | 1990-05-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-05-19 | 1993-11-18 | 1994-05-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-05-19 | 1997-11-18 | 1998-05-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |