US4851036A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Mineral ore flotation process and apparatus
Assignee: Mobil Oil AS
•
Filing: 1987-09-18
•
Granted: 1989-07-25
•
Expires: 2007-09-18
Abstract
Abstract There is disclosed a process and an apparatus for beneficiating a mineral ore, such as phosphate-containing ore, in a substantially vertical column. The feed subjected to the benefication preferably has a particle size of less than 20 mesh. The feed is introduced into the column, containing at least one baffle, into which there is also introduced a gas at the bottom portion thereof and a liquid through at least one column inlet at the top of the column. The baffle and the rates of introduction of the feed, the gas, and the liquid are such as to create relatively high turbulence conditions within the column. The enriched, beneficiated product is removed at the top of the column, while the waste products, such as silica-containing material, in the case of a phosphate ore, are recovered at the bottom of the column. The column is either used as a single step flotation apparatus to recover mineral ore, or, preferably, as an apparatus of a multi-step flotation process wherein the rougher flotation step is carried out in the column and a subsequent cleaner flotation step in a conventional flotation apparatus, e.g., a Denver Flotation Cell.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert J. Anthes
- 👤 Ross A. Kremer
- 👤 Susanne Von Rosenberg
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 12:40
CPC Classifications
B; B03; B03D; B03D1/00; B03D1/14; B03D1/1443; B03D1/1456; B03D1/001; B03D1/004; B03D1/006; B03D1/008; B03D1/02; B03D1/021; B03D1/08; B03D1/082; B03D1/1481; B03D1/24; B03D1/245; B03D2203/00; B03D2203/02; B03D2203/04; B03D2203/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 67
Claim 1
Independent Claim
141 words
A single step, continuous fractionating flotation process for separating a phosphate ore-contaiing material from a mixture thereof with a non-floatable particulate material comprising: (i) introducing the mixture into a vertical flotation column containing a liquid, the column comprising at least one baffle means to promote turbulence therein; (ii) introducing a gaseous material into the vertical column below the point of introduction of the mixture; (iii) introducing the liquid into the column, the rate of introducing the mixture, the gaseous material and the liquid, and the baffle means being sufficient to create a substantial amount of turbulence in the vertical column to separate the phosphate ore-containing material from the non-flotatable particulate material; (iv) recovering the phosphate ore-containing material at an upper portion of the vertical flotation column; and (v) recovering the non-floatable particulate material in a lower portion of the vertical column.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
141 words
A single step, continuous fractionating flotation process for separating a phosphate ore-contaiing material from a mixture thereof with a non-floatable particulate material comprising: (i) introducing the mixture into a vertical flotation column containing a liquid, the column comprising at least one baffle means to promote turbulence therein; (ii) introducing a gaseous material into the vertical column below the point of introduction of the mixture; (iii) introducing the liquid into the column, the rate of introducing the mixture, the gaseous material and the liquid, and the baffle means being sufficient to create a substantial amount of turbulence in the vertical column to separate the phosphate ore-containing material from the non-flotatable particulate material; (iv) recovering the phosphate ore-containing material at an upper portion of the vertical flotation column; and (v) recovering the non-floatable particulate material in a lower portion of the vertical column.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
A process of claim 1 wherein the mixture has a particle size of less than 20 mesh.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
A process of claim 2 wherein the phosphate ore-containing material is phosphate and the non-floatable particulate material comprises silica.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
A process of claim 3 wherein the liquid is an aqueous liquid and the gaseous material comprises oxygen.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
A process of claim 4 wherein the aqueous liquid is water and the gaseous material is air.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
40 words
A process of claim 5 wherein the mixture is introduced into the column at the rate of about 0.2 to about 3.5 ton, on dry basis, per square foot (ft 2 ) of the vertical column cross-section area per hour.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
A process of claim 6 wherein the flow rate of water in the column is at least greater than about 275 gallons per hour per ft 2 of the vertical column cross-sectional area.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
A process of claim 7 wherein the flow rate of air in the vertical column is about 150 to about 1800 ft 3 per hour per ft 2 of the vertical column cross-sectional area.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
11 words
A process of claim 8 wherein the baffle means is stationary.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
A process of claim 9 wherein the column contains no internal moving mechanical parts.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
A process of claim 10 wherein there is formed in the column a zone of relatively low particulate material content comprising not more than about 7% by volume of the particulate material.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
A process of claim 11 wherein the zone of relatively low particulate material content comprises not more than about 5% by volume of the particulate material.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
26 words
A process of claim 12 wherein the zone of relatively low particulate material content comprises about 2 to about 3% by volume of the particulate material.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
A process of claim 13 wherein there is formed in the column, above the zone of relatively low particulate material content, a froth layer zone.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
A process of claim 14 wherein the height of the froth layer zone is equal to about 25-100% of the height of the zone of relatively low particulate material content.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
28 words
A process of claim 15 wherein the height of the froth layer zone is about 50-100% of the height of the zone of relatively low particulate material content.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
28 words
A process of claim 16 wherein the height of the froth layer zone is substantially equal to the height of the zone of relatively low particulate material content.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
38 words
A process of claim 17 wherein the mixture is introduced into the column at the rate of about 0.45 to about 2.7 ton, on dry basis, per square foot of the vertical flotation column's cross-sectional area per hour.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
37 words
A process of claim 18 wherein the mixture is introduced into the column at the rate of about 0.8 to about 2.0 ton, on dry basis, per square foot of the vertical column cross-sectional area per hour.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
34 words
A process of claim 19 wherein the water is introduced into the column at the rate of about 700 to about 5000 gallons per hour per ft 2 of the vertical column cross-sectional area.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
32 words
A process of claim 20 wherein the flow rate of water in the column is about 800 to about 2000 gallons per hour per ft 2 of the vertical column cross-sectional area.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
33 words
A process of claim 21 wherein the air flows in the column at the rate of about 200 to about 1100 ft 3 per hour per ft 2 of the column cross-sectional area.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
33 words
A process of claim 22 wherein the air flows in the column at the rate of about 350 to about 850 ft 3 per hour per ft 2 of the column cross-sectional area.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
25 words
A process of claim 23 wherein the froth layer zone is separated from the zone of relatively low particulate material content by a froth line.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
37 words
A process of claim 24 wherein the mixture, prior to the introduction thereof into the column, is conditioned by first contacting it with an alkaline agent, and subsequently with a hydrocarbon oil and with a fatty acid.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
47 words
A process of claim 25 wherein the alkaline agent is used as about 5 to about 15% by weight aqueous solution, and it is a base of alkali metal, a base of alkaline metal, ammonium hydroxide, a carbonate of sodium, a carbonate of potassium or mixtures thereof.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
49 words
A process of claim 26 wherein the fatty acid is used in the amount of about 0.2 to about 2.0 lbs/ton of the mixture on dry basis, and it is tall oils, fatty acids derived from animal and vegetable oils, organic high molecular weight acids or a mixture thereof.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
25 words
A process of claim 27 wherein the fatty acid is used in the amount of about 0.7 to about 1.5 lbs/ton of the dry mixture.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
25 words
A process of claim 28 wherein the fatty acid is used in the amount of about 0.9 to about 1.3 lbs/ton of the dry mixture.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
25 words
A process of claim 29 wherein the fatty acid is used in the amount of about 0.9 to about 1.1 lbs/ton of the dry mixture.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
33 words
A process of claim 30 wherein the hydrocarbon oil is used in such an amount that a weight ratio of the hydrocarbon oil to the fatty acid is about 2.1 to about 3.1.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
33 words
A process of claim 31 wherein the hydrocarbon oil is used in such an amount that the weight ratio of the hydrocarbon oil to the fatty acid is about 2.2:1 to about 3:1.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
33 words
A process of claim 32 wherein the hydrocarbon oil is used in such an amount that the weight ratio of the hydrocarbon oil to the fatty acid is about 2.4:1 to about 2.7:1.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
187 words
A flotation process for separating a phosphate ore-containing material from a mixture thereof with a non-floatable particulate material comprising: (A) recovering at least a portion of the phosphate ore-containing floatable particulate material from the mixture in a rougher flotation step comprising the consecutive steps of: (i) introducing the mixture into a vertical flotation column containing a liquid, the column comprising at least one baffle means to promote turbulence therein; (ii) introducing a gaseous material into the vertical column below the point of introduction of the mixture; (iii) introducing the liquid into the column, the rate of introducing the mixture, the gaseous material and the liquid, and the baffle means being sufficient to create a substantial amount of turbulene in the vertical column to separate the phosphate ore-containing material from the non-floatable particulate material; (iv) recovering the phosphate ore-containing material in an upper portion of the vertical column; and (v) recovering the non-floatable particulate material in a lower portion of the vertical flotation column; (B) subjecting to a flotation in a cleaner flotation step the phosphate ore-containing material recovered from said step (iv) of the rougher flotation step.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
187 words
A flotation process for separating a phosphate ore-containing material from a mixture thereof with a non-floatable particulate material comprising: (A) recovering at least a portion of the phosphate ore-containing floatable particulate material from the mixture in a rougher flotation step comprising the consecutive steps of: (i) introducing the mixture into a vertical flotation column containing a liquid, the column comprising at least one baffle means to promote turbulence therein; (ii) introducing a gaseous material into the vertical column below the point of introduction of the mixture; (iii) introducing the liquid into the column, the rate of introducing the mixture, the gaseous material and the liquid, and the baffle means being sufficient to create a substantial amount of turbulene in the vertical column to separate the phosphate ore-containing material from the non-floatable particulate material; (iv) recovering the phosphate ore-containing material in an upper portion of the vertical column; and (v) recovering the non-floatable particulate material in a lower portion of the vertical flotation column; (B) subjecting to a flotation in a cleaner flotation step the phosphate ore-containing material recovered from said step (iv) of the rougher flotation step.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
17 words
A process of claim 34 wherein the mixture has a particle size of less than 20 mesh.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
19 words
A process of claim 35 wherein the phosphate ore-containing material is phosphate and the non-floatable particulate material comprises silica.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
18 words
A process of claim 36 wherein the liquid is an aqueous liquid and the gaseous material comprises oxygen.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
17 words
A process of claim 37 wherein the aqueous liquid is water and the gaseous material is air.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
40 words
A process of claim 38 wherein the mixture is introduced into the column at the rate of about 0.2 to about 3.5 ton, on dry basis, per square foot (ft 2 ) of the vertical column cross-sectional area per hour.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
33 words
A process of claim 39 wherein the flow rate of water in the column is at least greater than about 275 gallons per hour per ft 2 of the vertical column cross-sectional area.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
34 words
A process of claim 40 wherein the flow rate of air in the vertical column is about 150 to about 1800 ft 3 per hour per ft 2 of the vertical column cross-sectional area.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
11 words
A process of claim 41 wherein the baffle means is stationary.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
14 words
A process of claim 42 wherein the column contains no internal moving mechanical parts.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
38 words
A process of claim 43 wherein the mixture is introduced into the column at the rate of about 0.45 to about 2.7 ton, on dry basis, per square foot of the vertical flotation column's cross-sectional area per hour.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
37 words
A process of claim 44 wherein the mixture is introduced into the column at the rate of about 0.8 to about 2.0 ton, on dry basis, per square foot of the vertical column cross-sectional area per hour.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
34 words
A process of claim 45 wherein the water is introduced into the column at the rate of about 700 to about 5000 gallons per hour per ft 2 of the vertical column cross-sectional area.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
32 words
A process of claim 46 wherein the flow rate of water in the column is about 800 to about 2000 gallons per hour per ft 2 of the vertical column cross-sectional area.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
32 words
A process of claim 47 wherein the air flows in the column at the rate of about 200 to about 1100 ft 3 per hour ft 2 of the column cross-sectional area.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
33 words
A process of claim 48 wherein the air flows in the column at the rate of about 350 to about 850 ft 3 per hour per ft 2 of the column cross-sectional area.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
37 words
A process of claim 49 wherein the mixture, prior to the introduction thereof into the column, is conditioned by first contacting it with an alkaline agent, and subsequently with a hydrocarbon oil and with a fatty acid.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
49 words
A process of claim 50 wherein the fatty acid is used in the amount of about 0.2 to about 2.0 lbs/ton of the mixture on dry basis, and it is tall oils, fatty acids derived from animal and vegetable oils, organic high molecular weight acids or a mixture thereof.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
25 words
A process of claim 51 wherein the fatty acid is used in the amount of about 0.7 to about 1.5 lbs/ton of the dry mixture.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
25 words
A process of claim 52 wherein the fatty acid is used in the amount of about 0.9 to about 1.3 lbs/ton of the dry mixture.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
25 words
A process of claim 53 wherein the fatty acid is used in the amount of about 0.9 to about 1.1 lbs/ton of the dry mixture.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
47 words
A process of claim 54 wherein the cleaner flotation step is conducted in a flotation apparatus comprising a vessel and a stirring means, wherein a material comprising silica is recovered at the top of the vessel and the material comprising phosphate is concentrated at the bottom thereof.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
33 words
A process of claim 55 wherein the effluent of said step (iv) of the rougher flotation step is treated with a mineral acid prior to the introduction thereof to the cleaner flotation step.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
12 words
A process of claim 56 wherein the mineral acid is sulfuric acid.
Claim 60
Dependent Claim
15 words
A process of claim 57 wherein an amine is introduced into the cleaner flotation step.
Claim 61
Dependent Claim
12 words
A process of claim 58 wherein the amine is a fatty amine.
Claim 62
Dependent Claim
14 words
A process of claim 1 wherein the column contains no internal moving mechanical parts.
Claim 63
Dependent Claim
14 words
A process of claim 34 wherein the column contains no internal moving mechanical parts.
Claim 64
Dependent Claim
30 words
A process of claim 61 wherein the air flows into the column at the rate of about 583 ft 3 per hour per ft 2 of the column cross-sectional area.
Claim 65
Dependent Claim
17 words
A process of claim 62 wherein the mixture has a particle size of less than 35 mesh.
Claim 66
Dependent Claim
30 words
A process of claim 33 wherein the air flows into the column at the rate of about 583 ft 3 per hour per ft 2 of the column cross-sectional area.
Claim 67
Dependent Claim
17 words
A process of claim 64 wherein the mixture has a particle size of less than 35 mesh.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1744785A
Cited
US2182442A
Cited
US2651413A
Cited
US3298519A
Cited
US3371779A
Cited
US4172029A
Cited
US4227996A
Cited
US4287054A
Cited
US4431531A
Cited
US4440636A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-07-24 | 1993-01-23 | 1993-07-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-07-24 | 1997-01-23 | 1997-07-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-07-24 | 2001-01-23 | 2001-07-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |