GB196944A - Improved process of separating minerals mechanically - Google Patents

Abstract

The ingredients of ores of metal value are separated by mechanically colloidalizing one ingredient and leaving the other substantially unaffected by high speed mechanical disintegration, for example in a colloid mill as described in Specification 155,836, in presence of a dispersator, possessing an electrical charge of the same sign and preferably of the same magnitude as the charge on the particles of the ingredient to be colloidalized. In an example zirconia earths are treated in a colloid mill with water-glass and caustic alkali. The colloidal solution of zirconium oxide may be decanted from the impurities and may be centrifuged, ultra-filtered or subjected to electric-endosmose to obtain the pure oxide. Sulphite-cellulose liquor and free alkali may be used as dispersator and silver, copper, tin and mercury ores may be similarly treated. A further example shows the colloidalization of manganese compounds from a chromium manganese ore using cherry gum and alkali as dispersator. Manganese iron and manganese aluminium ores may be similarly treated and also tungsten or vanadium compounds or osmium, platinum, palladium &c. obtained from their ores. Other dispersators are proteins or gums dissolved in alkali. The Provisional Specification refers also to the treatment of other than metalliferous ores such as clay, brown earths, felspars and rock phosphates, and gives an example of the colloidalization of the impurities from graphite ore using a synthetic phenol tanning agent and alkali as dispersator. The graphite itself is then colloidalized using tannic acid. Specifications 176,002 and 176,003, [both in Class 59, Grinding, crushing, &c.], are also referred to.ALSO:The chromium is separated from the manganese in a mixed chromium manganese ore by selectively colloidalizing the manganese compounds by high-speed mechanical disintegration, for example in a colloid mill as described in Specification 155,836, [Class 1 (i), Chemical processes &c.], in presence of aqueous cherry gum and alkali as dispersator. Specifications 176,002 and 176,003, [both in Class 59, Grinding, crushing, &c.], are also referred to.