Sulphate agglomeration
AssigneeSouthwind Enterprises Inc.
InventorsNeil L. Smith, Gregory J. Saunders
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process for forming agglomerates of metallurgical dust containing metal sulphates for recycling to extractive processes includes adding lime particles and a small amount of water, forming a mixture and extruding the damp mixture and allowing the extruded agglomerates to become hard and shape retentive. The material agglomerated may be water soluble metal sulphate containing particles or mixtures of such particles with other value metal bearing waste or by-products of metallurgical processes. Optionally additional binding agents comprising cement and hydrocarbonaceous substances such as wax may be added to the mixture.
Claims14
A process for agglomerating loose metal sulphate containing particles, thereby rendering the metal sulphate containing particles suitable as feedstock in a metal extractive process, comprising the steps of:
- (a) making a mixture of lime particles and loose particles containing metal sulphates which are at least partially water soluble, said metal sulphate in said metal sulphate containing particles being at least one of the group consisting of ferrous sulphate, ferric sulphate, nickel sulphate, copper sulphate, tin sulphate, chromium sulphate, manganese sulphate, zinc sulphate, cobalt sulphate, aluminium sulphate, titanium sulphate and silver sulphate,
- (b) admixing water to said mixture in an amount that does not exceed the amount of water said mixture is capable of absorbing, thereby obtaining a damp mixture, and
- (c) extruding the damp mixture so obtained into agglomerates and allowing said agglomerates to become hard and shape retentive.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.