US 9,932,525 B2 · Method and system for flotation separation in a magnetically controllable and steerable medium

Abstract

The present invention provides new techniques related to magnetically controllable and/or steerable froth for use in separation processes of mineral-bearing ore and bitumen. Apparatus is provided featuring a processor configured to contain a fluidic medium having a material-of-interest and also having a surfactant with magnetic properties so as to cause the formation of a froth layer that contains at least some of the material-of-interest and is magnetically responsive; and a magnetic field generator configured to generate a magnetic field and provide non-mechanical mixing and steering/driving of the froth layer in the processor. The material-of-interest may be mineral-bearing ore particles or bitumen. The processor includes a flotation tank, a primary separation vessel (PSV), or a pipe, including a tailings pipeline. The pipe has a non-magnetic pipe section, and the magnetic field generator includes a magnetic coil arranged in relation to non-magnetic pipe section to generate the magnetic field and provide the non-mechanical mixing and steering/driving of the froth layer in the pipe.

Claims22

Dependent claims

Apparatus comprising:

a processor comprising an upper part and a lower part;
and
a magnetic field generator configured to generate a magnetic field in the upper part, the processor configured to
receive an aqueous mixture in the upper part;
receive an attachable medium in the lower part, the aqueous mixture comprising valuable material and unwanted material, wherein the aqueous mixture comprises a magnetically responsive surfactant containing magneto-active anions;
cause the attachable medium to contact with the valuable material in the aqueous mixture so as to allow the valuable material to attach to the attachable medium;
and
form a magnetically responsive medium comprising at least part of the attachable medium and the aqueous mixture, the magnetically responsive medium arranged to interact with the magnetic field for mixing, wherein the upper part comprises a feed to receive the magnetically responsive medium.

5 more elements

A cell or column comprising:

an upper part and a lower part, the upper part configured to receive an aqueous mixture, the lower part configured to receive an attachable medium, the aqueous mixture comprising valuable material and unwanted material, and a magnetically responsive surfactant containing magneto-active anions, the cell or column configured to cause the attachable medium to contact with the valuable material in the aqueous mixture so as to allow the valuable material to attach to the attachable medium, wherein at least part of the attachable medium and part of the aqueous mixture form a magnetically responsive medium arranged to interact with a magnetic field in the upper part for mixing, wherein the upper part comprises a feed to receive the magnetically responsive medium.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and system for flotation separation in a magnetically controllable and steerable medium

Life of this patent

Method and system for flotation separation in a magnetically controllable and steerable medium

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims22