Flotation of scheelite from calcite with a microbial based collector
OwnerJames Edward Zajic, Naim Kosaricinventors
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Abstract
Separation of calcite ore from other more valuable minerals such as scheelite (calcium tungstate) is effected by a flotation process in which there is used a flotation aid or frother, and a microbial based collector which is produced by growing a culture or mixture of cultures selected from the genus Pseudomonas and/or the genus Alcaligenes, on a hydrocarbon substrate.
Claims9
A process of treating an aqueous slurry of a mixture of calcite mineral ore and scheelite mineral ore by froth flotation process so as to obtain a second mixture of calcite and scheelite in which the relative proportion of scheelite is increased, which comprises adding to said aqueous slurry a surface active frother and a microbial based collector and agitating the slurry to cause frothing thereof, the microbial base collector being a product of the aerobic fermentation of a hydrocarbon substrate and a mixture of cultures including at least one culture of the genus Pseudomonas or the genus Alcaligenes in an aqueous fermentation medium, and recovering from the froth said second mixture of calcite and scheelite containing relatively increased proportion of scheelite.
A process of obtaining from a first aqueous slurry mixture of calcite ore and scheelite ore by froth flotation a second aqueous slurry mixture of calcite and scheelite ores, having an increased relative proportion of scheelite ore, which comprises:
- growing under aerobic conditions in an aqueous fermentation medium containing mineral salts and a hydrocarbon substrate at least one microbial culture of the genus Alcaligenes or the genus Pseudomonas to obtain a fermentation broth containing products of said hydrocarbon fermentation;
- adding a product of said hydrocarbon fermentation as collector, and adding a frother comprising a surface active substance, to the first aqueous slurry mixture of calcite and scheelite;
- aerating the first aqueous slurry mixture, collector and frother to cause frothing and flotation of the slurry;
- and collecting the floated portion thereof comprising a second slurry mixture containing an increased proportion of scheelite ore relative to calcite ore, as compared with said first slurry mixture.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.