US 4,308,132 A · Bituminous coal reagent and flotation process

Abstract

A reagent and a method for using the reagent for treating a solid material disposed in a liquid medium and having an oxygen-controlled surface condition. The reagent includes a liquid hydrocarbon, a reducing material and an activator material. The liquid hydrocarbon has a specific gravity different from the specific gravity of the liquid medium. The reducing material is present in an amount sufficient to establish a reducing environment around the solid material for breaking the oxygen control on the surface of the solid material. The activator material is present in an amount sufficient to establish an electrostatic charge on the solid material after the oxygen-controlled surface condition has been broken. A more specific feature of the invention is directed to the method of flotation of extremely fine bituminous coal having an oxygen-controlled surface condition. The reagent is useful in froth flotation processes and in bath flotation and separation processes.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A process of treating a mixture of different solid materials in a liquid body wherein one of the solid materials has an oxygen-controlled surface condition, said process comprising:

a. introducing into the liquid of the liquid body having the mixture of different solid materials therein a reagent including a liquid hydrocarbon having a specific gravity different than the specific gravity of the liquid body,
b. mixing the reagent with said liquid in an amount sufficient to form a film of liquid hydrocarbon on the top of said liquid body,
c. said reagent including a reducing material and a separate activator material,
d. said reducing material being in an amount sufficient to establish a reducing environment around said one of the solid material having an oxygen controlled surface condition for breaking the oxygen-control thereon,
e. said activator material being in an amount effective to establish an electrostatic charge on said one of the solid materials after said oxygen-controlled surface condition has been broken,
f. said charge being of the same character as the electrostatic charge on the remaining solids materials of the mixture to provide an electrostatic repulsion between said one of the solid materials and said remaining solids materials,
g. collecting said one of the solid materials in and upon said film of liquid hydro-carbon, and
h. separating said one of the solid materials and liquid hydro-carbon from said liquid body and remaining solid materials.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Bituminous coal reagent and flotation process

Life of this patent

Bituminous coal reagent and flotation process

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18