GB573198A - Improvements in or relating to vacuum flotation apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

573,198. Separating minerals by flotation. DAVEY, PAXMAN, & CO., Ltd., and WARD, F. H. ALLMAN-, April 21, 1944, No. 7420. [Class 82 (ii)] In the separation of minerals by froth flotation, a pulp feed tank c is mounted within or upon a low-pressure separating chamber a, whereby the pulp passes directly from the tank into the chamber without traversing any piping or other connections. The chamber a is maintained at a sub-atmospheric pressure as by means of a vacuum pump connected by a conduit l to a mist separator m, and, instead of air, carbon dioxide or other easily soluble gases may be used for absorption by the pulp. The outlet d from the tank c is regulated by a valve e chained to a float f and subjected also to hand control. The froth flows over the outer edge h of an annular collecting trough i with a downwardly inclined base leading to a discharge duct h and a sealing pot s. The process water and the gangue pass, respectively, through a telescopic pipe o, g and a surrounding pipe n into sealing pots p, r, the pot p being raised and lowered automatically according to the vacuum in the chamber a. The pots p, s have overflow pipes v, w, whilst the pots r, s are provided with conveyers, scrapers, or other mechanical means t, u for removing the solids.