# US 10,307,770 B2 · Method for the benificiation of coal > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,307,770 B2 - Document ID: US10307770B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/585,378 - Filed: 2014-12-30 - Published: 2015-04-23 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2008-01-15 - Assignees: Ingevity South Carolina, LLC - Applicants: Ingevity South Carolina, LLC - Inventors: John B. Hines; Dennis L. Kennedy; Phillip W. Hurd - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10307770B2 ## CPC - B03D 1/023: {Carrier flotation; Flotation of a carrier material to which the target material attaches} - B03D 1/004: Organic compounds - B03D 1/008: containing oxygen - B03D 1/02: Froth-flotation processes - B03D 2201/02: Collectors - B03D 2203/08: Coal ores, fly ash or soot - B03D: FLOTATION; DIFFERENTIAL SEDIMENTATION (sedimentation in general B01D21/00; in combination with other separation of solids B03B; sink-float separation B03B5/28; detergents, soaps C11D) ## Abstract The present invention relates to the beneficiation of coal by the process of froth flotation and specifically relates to a process for the froth flotation of coal using a mixture of fatty acids and rosin acids (and/or certain derivatives of fatty acids and rosin acids) as a collector. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A froth flotation process, comprising: combining a collector and an aqueous slurry to produce a treated mixture, wherein the aqueous slurry comprises particles, and wherein the collector comprises: a fatty acid component comprising fatty acids, fatty acid derivatives, or a mixture thereof, a rosin acid component comprising rosin acids, rosin acid derivatives, or a mixture thereof, and at least 5 wt % of a non-saponifiable component, based on the combined weight of the fatty acid component, the rosin acid component, and the non-saponifiable component; aerating the treated mixture to produce an aerated mixture, wherein the treated mixture is substantially free of fuel oil when the treated mixture is aerated; and recovering a beneficiated product from the aerated mixture, wherein the particles comprise coal particles. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The process of claim 1, wherein the collector comprises at least 5 wt % to about 25 wt % of the non-saponifiable component, based on the combined weight of the fatty acid component, the rosin acid component, and the non-saponifiable component. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The process of claim 1, wherein the collector comprises at least 8 wt % to about 25 wt % of the non-saponifiable component, based on the combined weight of the fatty acid component, the rosin acid component, and the non-saponifiable component. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The process of claim 1, wherein the particles further comprise ash particles. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The process of claim 4, wherein the beneficiated product comprises at least a portion of the coal particles, and wherein the beneficiated product has a reduced concentration of the ash particles relative to the coal particles as compared to the particles in the aqueous slurry. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The process of claim 1, wherein the treated mixture comprises about 0.001 wt % to about 0.4 wt % of the collector, based on the total weight of the particles. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The process of claim 1, wherein the treated mixture comprises about 0.001 wt % to about 0.1 wt % of the collector, based on the total weight of the particles. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The process of claim 1, wherein the collector comprises about 25 wt % to about 90 wt % of the fatty acid component, about 5 wt % to about 65 wt % of the rosin acid component, and less than 18 wt % of the non-saponifiable component, based on the combined weight of the fatty acid component, the rosin acid component, and the non-saponifiable component. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The process of claim 1, wherein the particles comprise a mixture of coal particles and ash particles, wherein the collector comprises about 25 wt % to about 90 wt % of the fatty acid component, about 5 wt % to about 65 wt % of the rosin acid component, and less than 18 wt % of the non-saponifiable component, based on the combined weight of the fatty acid component, the rosin acid component, and the non-saponifiable component, wherein the beneficiated product comprises at least a portion of the coal particles, and wherein the beneficiated product has a reduced concentration of the ash particles relative to the coal particles as compared to the particles in the aqueous slurry. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The process of claim 1, wherein the collector comprises the fatty acid derivatives, the rosin acid derivatives, or a mixture of the fatty acid derivatives and the rosin acid derivatives, wherein the fatty acid derivatives comprise fatty acid monoesters with polyhydric alcohols, fatty acid diesters with polyhydric alcohols, or a mixture thereof, and wherein the rosin acid derivatives comprise disproportionated rosin acids, rosin acid esters with polyhydric alcohols, or a mixture thereof. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The process of claim 1, further comprising adding a frothing agent to the collector and the aqueous slurry to produce the treated mixture. ### Claim 12 A froth flotation process, comprising: combining a collector and an aqueous slurry to produce a treated mixture, wherein the aqueous slurry comprises particles, and wherein the collector comprises fatty acids, rosin acids, and at least 5 wt % of a non-saponifiable component, based on the combined weight of the fatty acids, the rosin acids, and the non-saponifiable component; and subjecting the treated mixture to froth flotation to produce a beneficiated product, wherein the treated mixture is substantially free of fuel oil when the treated mixture is subjected to froth flotation, wherein the particles comprise coal particles. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The process of claim 12, wherein the collector comprises at least 5 wt % to about 25 wt % of the non-saponifiable component, based on the combined weight of the fatty acid component, the rosin acid component, and the non-saponifiable component. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The process of claim 12, wherein the particles further comprise ash particles. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The process of claim 12, wherein the particles comprise coal particles and ash particles, wherein the collector comprises about 25 wt % to about 90 wt % of the fatty acids, about 5 wt % to about 65 wt % of the rosin acids, and less than 18 wt % of the non-saponifiable component, based on the combined weight of the fatty acids, the rosin acids, and the non-saponifiable component, wherein the beneficiated product comprises at least a portion of the coal particles, and wherein the beneficiated product has a reduced concentration of the ash particles relative to the coal particles as compared to the particles in the aqueous slurry. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The process of claim 12, further comprising adding a frothing agent to the collector and the aqueous slurry to produce the treated mixture, wherein the frothing agent comprises methyl isobutyl carbinol, a pine oil, a cresol, 2-ethylhexanol, an aliphatic alcohol, a methyl cyclohexyl methanol, a polypropylene glycol, a polypropylene glycol alkyl ether, or a polypropylene glycol phenyl ether. ### Claim 17 A froth flotation process, comprising: combining a collector and an aqueous slurry to produce a treated mixture, wherein the aqueous slurry comprises coal particles and ash particles, and wherein the collector comprises a fatty acid component, a rosin acid component, and at least 5 wt % of a non-saponifiable component, based on the combined weight of the fatty acid component, the rosin acid component, and the non-saponifiable component; aerating the treated mixture comprising the collector and the aqueous slurry to produce an aerated mixture, wherein the treated mixture is substantially free of fuel oil when the treated mixture is aerated; and recovering a beneficiated product comprising at least a portion of the coal particles from the aerated mixture, wherein the beneficiated product has a reduced concentration of the ash particles relative to the coal particles as compared to the coal particles and the ash particles in the aqueous slurry. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The process of claim 17, wherein the collector comprises about 25 wt % to about 90 wt % of the fatty acid component, about 5 wt % to about 65 wt % of the rosin acid component, and less than 18 wt % of the non-saponifiable component, based on the combined weight of the fatty acid component, the rosin acid component, and the non-saponifiable component. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The process of claim 17, wherein the coal particles comprise anthracite coal, lignite coal, bituminous coal, or sub-bituminous coal, wherein the ash particles comprise non-combustible mineral matter, wherein the collector comprises about 25 wt % to about 90 wt % of the fatty acid component, about 5 wt % to about 65 wt % of the rosin acid component, and less than 18 wt % of the non-saponifiable component, based on the combined weight of the fatty acid component, the rosin acid component, and the non-saponifiable component, and wherein the treated mixture comprises about 0.001 wt % to about 0.4 wt % of the collector, based on the combined weight of the coal particles and the ash particles. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The process of claim 17, further comprising adding a frothing agent to the collector and the aqueous slurry to produce the treated mixture, wherein the frothing agent comprises methyl isobutyl carbinol, a pine oil, a cresol, 2-ethylhexanol, an aliphatic alcohol, a methyl cyclohexyl methanol, a polypropylene glycol, a polypropylene glycol alkyl ether, or a polypropylene glycol phenyl ether, wherein the collector comprises less than 18 wt % of the non-saponifiable component, based on the combined weight of the fatty acid component, the rosin acid component, and the non-saponifiable component, and wherein the treated mixture comprises about 0.001 wt % to about 0.1 wt % of the collector, based on the combined weight of the coal particles and the ash particles.