Process for recovering mineral particles, metal particles or small precious stones from an aqueous slim associated with an ore body or mineral deposit or processing thereof

Abstract

A process for recovering mineral particles, metal particles or small precious stones from an aqueous slime associated with an ore body or mineral deposit or processing thereof, said aqueous slime containing mineral particles, metal particles or small precious stones in suspension with slime particles. The process includes adding a sufficient amount of deflocculating agent to the aqueous slime to cause deflocculation of the slime particles and produce a deflocculated suspension containing the mineral particles, metal particles or small precious stones. The deflocculated suspension is allowed to settle, and the settled material containing the mineral particles, metal particles or small precious stones is recovered.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.