Sorting of limestone ores using fluorescent compounds
AssigneeOccidental Research Corporation
InventorPeter M. DiGiacomo
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process for separating limestone ore particles from gangue particles comprises the steps of (1) conditioning the mixed particles with an agent comprising a compound having both a surface-selective functional group and a fluorescent moiety, to selectively coat either the ore particles or the gangue particles, to the substantial exclusion of the other; (2) irradiating the mixture to cause fluorescence in the coated particles; and (3) separating the fluorescing, coated particles from the substantially uncoated particles. The process may be used to separate by coating either the ore particles or the gangue particles.
Claims17
A process for separating limestone ore particles, which include relatively higher grade ore particles and relatively lower grade ore limestone ore particles, from gangue particles comprising the steps of:
- a. conditioning the particles with a conditioning agent comprising a compound having both a surface-selective functional group and a fluorescent moiety, which renders the compound fluorescent when exposed to external radiation, to selectively coat either
- i. at least a portion of the ore particles, or
- ii. at least a portion of the gangue particles
- leaving the other particles substantially uncoated;
- b. irradiating the conditioned particles to excite and induce fluorescence of the conditioning agent to a degree sufficient for distinguishing the coated particles from the substantially uncoated particles;
- and
- c. separating the fluorescing, coated particles from the substantially uncoated particles.
A process for separating higher grade limestone ore particles from lower grade limestone ore particles and gangue particles, comprising the steps of:
- a. conditioning the limestone ore particles by spraying with an aqueous solution of a conditioning agent, said conditioning agent comprising a compound having both a surface-selective functional group and a fluorescent moiety which renders the compound fluorescent when exposed to external radiation, thereby selectively coating the ore particles in a degree dependent upon the grade of the ore, leaving the gangue particles substantially uncoated;
- b. irradiating the conditioned particles to excite and induce fluorescence of the conditioning agent to a degree sufficient for distinguishing the coated particles from the substantially uncoated particles;
- and
- c. separating the fluorescing, coated higher grade ore particles from the lesser fluorescing, lower grade ore particles and the substantially uncoated gangue particles.
A process for separating higher grade limestone ore particles from lower grade limestone ore particles and gangue particles, comprising the steps of:
- a. conditioning the limestone ore particles by spraying with an aqueous solution of a conditioning agent, said conditioning agent comprising a compound having both a surface-selective functional group and a fluorescent moiety which renders the compound fluorescent when exposed to external radiation, thereby selectively coating the gangue particles and, to a lesser degree, the lower grade ore particles, leaving the higher grade ore particles substantially uncoated;
- b. irradiating the conditioned particles to excite and induce fluorescence of the conditioning agent to a degree sufficient for distinguishing the coated particles from the substantially uncoated particles;
- and
- c. separating the fluorescing coated gangue particles and the lesser fluorescing, lower grade ore particles from the substantially uncoated higher grade ore particles.
A process for separating high grade ore particles from limestone ore particles, which include high grade ore particles, low grade ore particles and gangue particles, which comprises the steps of:
- (a) conditioning the limestone ore particles with a conditioning agent comprising at least one compound having both a surface-selective functional group and a fluorescent moiety which renders the compound fluorescent when exposed to external radiation, and selected from the group consisting of 4-(fluoranthyl)-butanoic acid and a salt of 7-diethylamino-4-methylcoumarin, to selectively coat high grade ore particles, and coat low grade ore particles to a lesser degree than the high grade ore particles, and wherein the gangue particles remain substantially uncoated;
- (b) irradiating the conditioned particles to excite and induce fluorescence of the conditioning agent to a degree sufficient for distinguishing coated high grade ore particles from low grade ore particles coated to a lesser degree and substantially uncoated gangue particles;
- and
- (c) separating the fluorescing, coated high grade ore particles from the relatively low grade ore particles coated to a lesser degree and the substantially uncoated gangue particles.
A process for separating high grade ore particles from limestone ore particles, which include high grade ore particles and low grade ore particles and gangue particles, which comprises the steps of:
- (a) conditioning the limestone ore particles with a conditioning agent comprising the reaction product of 4-(fluoranthyl)-butanoic acid with a polyamine to provide a compound having a surface-selective functional group and a fluorescent moiety, to selectively coat the gangue particles and low grade ore particles and leave the relatively high grade ore particles substantially uncoated;
- (b) irradiating the conditioned particles to excite and induce fluorescence of the conditioning agent to a degree sufficient to distinguish coated gangue particles and low grade ore particles from substantially uncoated high grade ore particles;
- and
- (c) separating the fluorescing, coated gangue particles and low grade ore particles from the substantially uncoated high grade ore particles.
A process for separating high grade ore particles from limestone ore particles, which include high grade ore particles, low grade ore particles and gangue particles, which comprises the steps of:
- (a) conditioning the limestone ore particles of a size in the range of from about one-fourth inch to about eight inches with a conditioning agent comprising at least one compound having both a surface-selective functional group and a fluorescent moiety which renders the compound fluorescent when exposed to external radiation, and selected from the group consisting of 4-(fluoranthyl)-butanoic acid and a salt of 7-diethylamino-4-methylcoumarin, to selectively coat high grade ore particles and coat low grade ore particles to a lesser degree than the high grade ore particles, and wherein the gangue particles remain substantially uncoated;
- (b) irradiating the conditioned particles to excite and induce fluorescence of the conditioning agent to a degree sufficient for distinguishing coated high grade ore particles from low grade ore particles coated to a lesser degree and substantially uncoated gangue particles;
- and
- (c) separating the fluorescing, coated high grade ore particles from the relatively low grade ore particles coated to a lesser degree and the substantially uncoated gangue particles.
A process for separating high grade ore particles from limestone ore particles, which include high grade ore particles, low grade ore particles and gangue particles, which comprises the steps of:
- (a) conditioning the limestone ore particles of a size in the range of from about one-fourth inch to about eight inches with a conditioning agent comprising the reaction product of 4-(fluoranthyl)-butanoic acid with a polyamine to provide a compound having a surface-selective functional group and a fluorescent moiety, to selectively coat the gangue particles and low grade ore particles and leave the relatively high grade ore particles substantially uncoated;
- (b) irradiating the conditioned particles to excite and induce fluorescence of the conditioning agent to a degree sufficient to distinguish coated gangue particles and low grade ore particles from substantially uncoated high grade ore particles;
- and
- (c) separating the fluorescing, coated gangue particles and low grade ore particles from the substantially uncoated high grade ore particles.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.