GB586961A - Concentration of non-sulphide iron ores - Google Patents

Abstract

Non-sulphide iron ores are conditioned at high density with a collector and an acid substance, the anion of which is a constituent of an acid having a dissociation constant greater than 10-7, in a quantity sufficient to modify the ore particles so as to enhance complex formation with the collector, which comprises at least one oxygen-containing strong inorganic acid group and sufficient non-aromatic groups to give the complex of ore and collector an affinity for oils, and the conditioned pulp is then diluted to flotation density before froth flotation. The diluted pulp may have a pH value from 1.5 to 5.5, preferably 2 to 3. The acid substance preferably is sulphuric acid, but it may be an acid salt such as sodium bisulphate or sodium chlorosulphonate. The collector may be water-soluble petroleum sulphonate, a sulphonated talloil, a sulphonated fatty acid, or a sulphonated saponifiable oil. It may also be a wetting agent such as alkylnaphthalene-sulphonic acid, di-alkylsulphosuccinates, or higher alkyl sulphuric half esters. Each collector may be associated with a non-collecting oily agent such as fuel or other hydrocarbon oil, or cocoanut, linseed, cottonseed, or other glyceride oil. The ore may be deslimed, or only partially deslimed before conditioning. Specifications 2,359/09, 19,856/14, [both in Class 82 (ii)], and 582,450 are referred to. The Specification as open to inspection under Sect. 91 states also that the collector may comprise an oil-soluble petroleum sulphonate or a mixture of any of the above collectors, e.g., oil-soluble and water-soluble petroleum sulphonates, and that the froth flotation separation may be replaced by other wet separations. This subject-matter does not appear in the Specification as accepted.