Method for controlling oxygen when separating minerals from a slurry
AssigneeOutotec Oyj
InventorsSeppo Heimala, Heikki Laurila, Mikko Ruonala
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Abstract
The invention relates to a method for controlling the partial pressure of oxygen when mutually separating minerals in the different process steps of the separation process. In order to control the partial pressure of oxygen, the gases fed in the different process steps are recirculated in an essentially closed gas circulation created around the equipment used in the different process steps, so that the gas recirculation is controlled by measuring the potential of the slurry containing valuable minerals.
Claims24
A method for separating valuable minerals from an ore, comprising:
- grinding the ore,
- forming a slurry from the ground ore,
- measuring an electrochemical potential of the slurry,
- separating valuable minerals from the slurry by flotation, precipitation and filtering,
- carrying out the grinding, flotation, precipitation and filtering under an essentially closed recirculating gas atmosphere, and
- controlling the composition of the recirculating gas atmosphere depending on the measured electrochemical potential.
A method for separating valuable minerals from an ore, comprising:
- grinding the ore,
- forming a slurry from the ground ore,
- separating valuable minerals from the slurry by flotation, precipitation and filtering,
- carrying out the grinding, flotation, precipitation and filtering under an essentially closed recirculating gas atmosphere,
- measuring content of oxygen in the recirculating gas atmosphere, and
- controlling the composition of the recirculating gas atmosphere depending on the measured content of oxygen.
A method for separating valuable minerals from an ore, comprising:
- grinding the ore under an essentially closed recirculating gas atmosphere containing an oxidizing gas and having a partial pressure of oxygen lower than atmospheric air,
- forming a slurry from the ground ore, and
- separating valuable minerals from the slurry by flotation under an essentially closed recirculating gas atmosphere containing an oxidizing gas and having a partial pressure of oxygen lower than atmospheric air.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.