Flocculation process
AssigneeMobil Oil Corporation
InventorJohn C. Davidtz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for reducing above ground storage of phosphate slimes waste obtained in the hydraulic mining of phosphate mineral where said waste, contains at least 2 weight percent solids, is treated by admixing the waste with fertile topsoil to form about a 30 weight percent slurry of topsoil, which topsoil contains at least 50 parts per million of extractable organic flocculating agents; transporting, depositing, and settling the slurry; and separating water from the resultant sediment.
Claims4
A method of reducing the amount of above ground storage space needed to store fluid phosphate slimes waste obtained in the hydraulic mining of phosphate mineral, whereby a portion of said fluid waste having a solids content of at least 2 weight percent is treated by:
- admixing the fluid waste with fertile topsoil to form about a 30 weight percent slurry of topsoil, said topsoil providing at least 50 parts per million, by weight of the total mixture of extractable organic flocculating agents;
- transporting and depositing said slurry in a settling area, whereby a sediment, that contains slimes solids, is formed;
- and separating and recovering water that has less than 2 weight percent solids from said settling area.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.