US4643822A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of separation of material from material mixtures
Assignee: UK Secretary of State for Trade and Industry
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Filing: 1985-02-28
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Granted: 1987-02-17
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Expires: 2005-02-28
Abstract
Abstract A method of separating the constituent minerals of a mixture of minerals requires the introduction of fine particles of magnetic material such as finely ground particles of magnetite. The control of the zeta-potential of the minerals and particles of magnetic material provides heterocoagulation of the magnetized particles with one mineral but not the other to achieve separation. The method is ideally suitable for separating carbonates and phosphate ore and the separation process is enhanced by the addition of a surfactant such as oleate. The slurry is preferably subjected to low intensity magnetic separation to remove unattached particles of magnetic material which can be recycled to keep costs to a minimum.
Inventors
- 👤 Philip G. Parsonage
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 04:26
CPC Classifications
B; B03; B03B; B03B1/00; B03B1/04; B03C; B03C1/00; B03C1/005; B03C1/01
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
80 words
A method of separating the various constituent minerals of a mixture of mineral, comprising chemically adjusting the Zeta potential of the mixture of minerala and adding particles of magnetic material to the mixture, whereupon heterocoagulation of the magnetic particles occurs such that the product of the Zeta potentials of the individual mineral components and the Zeta potential of the magnetic material is effective to cause the magnetic particles to adhere to particles of one mineral component but not the other.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
80 words
A method of separating the various constituent minerals of a mixture of mineral, comprising chemically adjusting the Zeta potential of the mixture of minerala and adding particles of magnetic material to the mixture, whereupon heterocoagulation of the magnetic particles occurs such that the product of the Zeta potentials of the individual mineral components and the Zeta potential of the magnetic material is effective to cause the magnetic particles to adhere to particles of one mineral component but not the other.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mixture of minerals subjected to separation comprises a mixture of carbonates and phosphate ore.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as claimed in claim 2, including adding a surfactant to the magnetic material prior to addition of the surfactant/magnetic material to the material mixture.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method as claimed in claim 3, including subjecting the mixture of minerals and magnetic material to an initial step of low intensity magnetic separation to remove unattached particles of said magnetic material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the magnetic material is finely ground particles of magnetite.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the surfactant is carboxylic acid having a long carbon chain.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
119 words
A method of separating the various constituent materials of a mixture of carbonates and phosphate ore, comprising chemically adjusting the Zeta potential of the mixture of carbonates and phosphate ore, and introducing into the mixture of carbonate and phosphate ore fine particles of magnetic material such that heterocoagulation of the magnetic particles occurs when the product of the Zeta potentials of the carbonates and phosphates with the Zeta potential of the magnetic particles is such that the particles of magnetic material adhere to one of the particles of carbonates and phosphate ore, and passing the resultant slurry through a magnetic separator to yield separated minerals consisting of magnetically coated particles of carbonates and one of said components of phosphate.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
119 words
A method of separating the various constituent materials of a mixture of carbonates and phosphate ore, comprising chemically adjusting the Zeta potential of the mixture of carbonates and phosphate ore, and introducing into the mixture of carbonate and phosphate ore fine particles of magnetic material such that heterocoagulation of the magnetic particles occurs when the product of the Zeta potentials of the carbonates and phosphates with the Zeta potential of the magnetic particles is such that the particles of magnetic material adhere to one of the particles of carbonates and phosphate ore, and passing the resultant slurry through a magnetic separator to yield separated minerals consisting of magnetically coated particles of carbonates and one of said components of phosphate.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as claimed in claim 7, including adding a surfactant to the magnetic material prior to addition of the surfactant/magnetic material to the material mixture.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as claimed in claim 7, including adding a surfactant to the material mixture prior to addition of the magnetic material to the material mixture.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method as claimed in claim 7, including subjecting the said mixture and added magnetic material to low intensity magnetic separation to remove unattached particles of said magnetic material.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as claimed in claim 8 or 9, wherein the surfactant added to the material mixture is a long chain carboxylic acid.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
12 words
A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the surfactant is oleate.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as claimed in claim 9 or 10, wherein the magnetite is used as a magnetic material added to the material mixture to be subjected to separation.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the amount of magnetite to be absorbed to render a particle sufficiently magnetic to recover by high intensity magnetic separation is 0.01 to 0.1% by volume.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the magnetite comprises finely ground particles of magnetite.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the magnetite is precipitated colloidal magnetite.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the magnetic material removed during low intensity magnetic separtation is recycled for addition to a subsequent mixture of calcite and phosphate ore.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 or 7, including adjusting the pH of the components of the mineral mixture to control the value of the Zeta potential of said components.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method as claimed in claim 18, including adjusting the pH in the range 8 to 11.
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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) | 1990-02-16 | 1990-08-18 | 1991-02-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1994-02-16 | 1994-08-18 | 1995-02-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1998-02-16 | 1998-08-18 | 1999-02-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |