Si removal from aqueous streams of minerals processing plants
AssigneeMetso Finland Oy
InventorsKaj Jansson, Eija Saari
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Abstract
A method for removing soluble and/or colloidal Si-compounds from an aqueous stream of a minerals processing plant is provided. The method includes adding coagulant(s) and/or flocculant(s) and/or flotation chemical(s) to the aqueous stream in order to facilitate formation of flocs comprising at least some of the Si-compounds, and in order to form a treated aqueous stream, subjecting the treated aqueous stream to cleaning flotation in order to separate at least some of the Si-compounds as a cleaning flotation overflow, and removing the cleaning flotation overflow. The cleaning flotation comprises gas bubbles, at least 90% of the gas bubbles having a diameter of from 0.2 to 250 μm.
Claims16
A method for removing soluble and/or colloidal Si-compounds from an aqueous stream of a minerals processing plant, the method comprising:
- adding coagulant(s) and/or flocculant(s) and/or flotation chemical(s) to the aqueous stream in order to facilitate formation of flocs comprising at least some of the Si-compounds, and in order to form a treated aqueous stream;
- subjecting the treated aqueous stream to cleaning flotation in order to separate at least some of the Si-compounds as a cleaning flotation overflow;
- and
- removing the cleaning flotation overflow,
- wherein the cleaning flotation comprises gas bubbles, at least 90% of the gas bubbles having a diameter of from 0.2 to 250 μm, wherein the aqueous stream comprises water obtained from dewatering equipment, wherein the aqueous stream obtained from the dewatering equipment originates from a flotation arrangement comprising a mineral flotation circuit arranged to treat ore particles suspended in a slurry by flotation for recovery of ore.
An arrangement for removing soluble and/or colloidal Si-compounds from an aqueous stream of a minerals processing plant, comprising:
- a flotation arrangement comprising a mineral flotation circuit arranged to treat ore particles suspended in a slurry by flotation for recovery of ore;
- dewatering equipment arranged to receive the aqueous stream from the flotation arrangement;
- a mixing system arranged to provide the aqueous stream from the dewatering equipment with coagulant(s) and/or flocculant(s) and/or flotation chemical(s), and
- a cleaning flotation unit arranged to receive the aqueous stream from the mixing system and to separate at least some of the Si-compounds from the aqueous stream as a cleaning flotation overflow and to form a residual process water as a cleaning flotation underflow.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.