OA18226A - Process and chemistry for reducing dolomite concentrations in phosphate processing. - Google Patents

Abstract

A magnesium suppressant/flocculant for use in separating dolomite from calcium phosphate. The magnesium suppressant/flocculant may be applied at a mine site prior to subjecting ore fractions to phosphate flotation or at a chemical plant after grinding.

Description

PROCESS AND CHEMISTRY FOR REDUCING DOLOMITE CONCENTRATIONS IN PHOSPHATE PROCESSING

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Cross Reference.

[0001] This application is based on and claims priority to United States Provisional Patent Application Number 62/035,546 filed August 11, 2014 and United States Conversion Utility Patent Application No. 14/809,546 filed July 27, 2015.

Field of the Invention.

[0002] This invention relates generally to a phosphate processing, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a process and chemistry for dolomite suppression during phosphate flotation or for sélective flocculation of dolomite from process waters or calcium phosphate, such as Francolite, apatite, etc.

Description of the Related Art.

[0003] Magnésium is becoming more and more of a concern to phosphate producers. They hâve known about dolomite ores for décades, but hâve been able to selectively mine the high quality ores, thus bypassing those rich in the magnesium-containing dolomite. The concern of magnésium cornes from the quality or concentration that must be processed at the fertilizer production facilities, who are the customers of the mined phosphate product. During the acidification process of converting phosphate concentrate to phosphoric acid, which is needed for the synthesis of most phosphorus-containing fertilizers, the magnésium can interact with the sulfuric acid, thus increasing the demand and cost for this acidification process. It is also known to produce a range of undesired byproducts such as magnésium pyrophosphate sludge.

[0004] At the mine site, the ore generally cornes in and goes through various washing and screening stages in an effort to remove the high quality phosphate rock, which is high in particle size. The remaining fractions are put through washing and desliming through a hydrocyclone to further reduce the clays and silica. The remaining size fraction, which is approximately 100 to approximately 1000 microns, will move on to a multistaged flotation where the rougher stage is a phosphate flotation using fatty acid collectors and the second stage is a cleaner (reverse flotation) process where the sand is floated with an amine and the phosphate stays behind and moves on to a dewatering step followed by transferring or being sold to a fertilizer production chemical plant. The dolomite can contain a wide range of particle sizes, but is generally on the higher end of the fraction that is collected for flotation.

[0005] Once the product reaches the chemical plant, a size réduction is required and generally occurs in a bail mill. This is necessary for adéquate dissolution and acidification during the fertilizer production.

[0006] The reason why this problem has not been resolved over these décades is because of the complex nature of coordinating to the magnésium in magnésium carbonate versus the calcium in calcium phosphate. Due to the similar structure, magnésium carbonate can also be entrained within the calcium phosphate.

[0007] Based on the foregoing, it is désirable to provide a process for reducing dolomite concentrations in phosphate processing.

[0008] It is further désirable for such a process to involve adding a magnésium suppressant to the fractions that remain after removing the high quality phosphate rock to change the characteristics of the magnésium carbonate to allow it to be separated more easily from the calcium phosphate during the flotation process.

[0009] It is further désirable for such a process to alternately involve adding the magnésium suppressant at the chemical plant during processing, again to change the characteristics of the magnésium carbonate to allow it to be separated from the calcium phosphate.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0010] In general, in a first aspect, the invention relates to a magnésium suppressant/flocculant for use in reducing dolomite concentrations in phosphate processing, the magnésium suppressant/flocculant is a polymer comprising a base monomer comprising acrylic acid, acrylamide, or a combination of acrylic acid and acrylamide and a functional monomer comprising hydroxyl ethyl méthacrylate, 2-acrylamido-2-methyl propane sulfonic acid, 3allyloxy-1, 2-propanediol, and/or a dérivative thereof. The molecular weight of the polymer may be 3,000 daltons to 30,000 daltons when the polymer is a magnésium suppressant, or alternately 200,000 daltons to 10,000,000 daltons when the polymer is a magnésium flocculant. The charge of the functional monomer may be 10% to 30%, or could be as high as 99%.

[0011] The magnésium suppressant/flocculant may be used in a method of reducing dolomite concentrations in phosphate processing. The method may comprise adding the magnésium suppressant to phosphate-containing fractions; conditioning the fractions with fatty acid; and subjecting the fractions to a phosphate flotation. Adding the magnésium suppressant to the fractions may prevent magnésium within the fractions from interacting with the fatty acid, which may minimize the extent to which the magnésium interacts with hydrophobie bubbles during the phosphate flotation. The method may further comprise grinding the fractions prior to adding the magnésium suppressant. The grinding may resuit in a particle size of less than 100 microns.

[0012] The magnésium suppressant/flocculant may be used in an alternate method comprising adding magnésium flocculant to phosphate rock during processing at a chemical plant. The method may further comprise transferring the phosphate rock to a clarifier or thickener, where the magnésium flocculant selectively flocculates dolomite in the phosphate rock such that the dolomite settles to the bottom of the clarifier or thickener, and removing the dolomite from the bottom of the clarifier or thickener. Alternately, the method may further comprise rinsing the phosphate rock with pond water to extract soluble magnésium prior to adding the magnésium flocculant, either alone or with coagulant. The method may further comprise grinding the fractions prior to adding the magnésium flocculant, potentially resulting in a particle size of less than 100 microns.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0013] The devices and methods discussed herein are merely illustrative of spécifie manners in which to make and use this invention and are not to be interpreted as limiting in scope.

[0014] While the devices and methods hâve been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be noted that many modifications may be made in the details of the construction and the arrangement of the devices and components without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. It is understood that the devices and methods are not limited to the embodiments set forth herein for purposes of exemplification.

[0015] In general, in a first aspect, the invention relates to a process and chemistry for reducing dolomite concentrations in phosphate processing.

[0016] As discussed above, the typical process for removing phosphate from ore at a mine site involves a four stage process. First, the ore may go through various washing and screening stages to remove large, high quality phosphate rock. Second, the remaining fractions may be washed, deslimed, and put through a hydrocyclone to reduce clays and siiica. Third, the remaining fractions, which are typically between 100 and 1000 microns, may be subjected to a phosphate flotation using fatty acid collectors. Fourth, the remaining fractions may be subjected to a reverse flotation process where the sand is floated with an amine and the phosphate stays behind. The phosphate may then move on to a dewatering step before being transferred or sold to a fertilizer production chemical plant.

[0017] In a first embodiment, the process for reducing dolomite concentrations may involve adding a step prior to step 3, the first flotation step. Prior to conditioning the phosphate slurry or rock with fatty acid before entering the rougher float cell, a magnésium suppressant may be added. The magnésium suppressant may selectively complex with the magnésium, which may prevent or minimize the magnésium from interacting with the fatty acid, thus minimizing its interaction with the hydrophobie bubbles, which is what removes the phosphate. Essentially, by complexing with the magnésium carbonate, the magnésium suppressant may inhibit the magnésium carbonate from complexing with the fatty acid that would generally make it float due to the similar chemical characteristics to the desired calcium phosphate.

[0018] Further improvement may be found by grinding the material prior to adding the magnésium suppressant, as discussed above. The grinding may occur through pipe sheering during transportation or through an external mechanical source, such as a bail mill. The smaller particle size may make the magnésium more liberated and thus easier to complex. The grinding may resuit in a particle size of less than 100 microns.

[0019] In a second embodiment, the process for reducing dolomite concentrations may occur at the chemical plant. During processing, the phosphate rock may be transferred into a clarifier or thickener. During this step, the magnésium suppressant may be added to selectively flocculate the dolomite from the calcium phosphate. The dolomite may then settle to the bottom of the thickener or clarifier and be removed from the bottom and transferred to a tailings pond while the calcium phosphate is separated. Alternately, the phosphate product entering the chemical plant may be rinsed with pond water, which may extract much of the magnésium as soluble magnésium. The calcium phosphate may be filtered or removed by some other means. The now magnésium enriched water may then be treated with either the magnésium suppressant or a combination or coagulant and magnésium suppressant. In both in-plant options, the magnésium suppressant should complex with the magnésium carbonate preferentially over calcium phosphate and settle, thus separating from the calcium phosphate.

[0020] As with the first embodiment, further improvement may be found by decreasing the size of the material prior to adding the magnésium suppressant. Once the product reaches the chemical plant, a size réduction may be required and may occur in a bail mill. This is often necessary for adéquate dissolution and acidification during the fertilizer production. During the grinding, not only is the calcium phosphate ground smaller for the required processing, but the dolomite is also ground smaller. This may be bénéficiai for the application of the présent invention. The smaller particle size may make the magnésium more liberated and thus easier to complex. The grinding may resuit in a particle size of less than 100 microns.

[0021] The magnésium suppressant may be a polymer. In particular, the magnésium suppressant may be at least a copolymer if not a tertpolymer. The base chemistry may be acrylic 5 acid, acrylamide, or a combination of acrylic acid and acrylamide. The functionality for the magnésium complexation may corne from adding one or more of the following monomers to the polymer: hydroxyl ethyl méthacrylate, 2-acrylamido-2-methyl propane sulfonic acid, 3-allyloxy1, 2-propanediol, and/or a dérivative thereof. When used during the flotation stage, the molecular weight of the polymer may be from around 3,000 daltons to 30,000 daltons, but may 10 go as high as 500,000 daltons. When used at the chemical plant, the molecular weight of the polymer may be from around 200,000 daltons to millions of daltons, but may go as low as 20,000 daltons. The charge of the functionalized monomer may be around 10% to 30%, but could be higher or lower.

[0022] Whereas, the devices and methods hâve been described in relation to the drawings 15 and claims, it should be understood that other and further modifications, apart from those shown or suggested herein, may be made within the spirit and scope of this invention.

Claims (16)

1. WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

   1. A magnésium suppressant/flocculant for use in reducing dolomite concentrations in phosphate processing, where the magnésium suppressant/flocculant is a polymer comprising:

   a base monomer comprising acrylic acid, acrylamide, or a combination of acrylic acid and acrylamide; and a functional monomer comprising hydroxyl ethyl méthacrylate, 2acrylamido-2-methyl propane sulfonic acid, 3-allyloxy-l, 2-propanediol, and/or a dérivative thereof.
2. 2.

   The magnésium suppressant/flocculant of Claim where the molecular weight of the polymer is
3. 3,000 daltons to 30,000 daltons.

   o J.

   The magnésium suppressant/flocculant of Claim where the molecular weight of the polymer is 200,000 daltons to 100,000,000 daltons.
4. 4.

   The magnésium suppressant/flocculant of Claim where the charge of the functional monomer is 10% to 30%.
5. 5. A method of reducing dolomite concentrations in phosphate processing, the method comprising:

   adding a magnésium suppressant to phosphate-containing fractions; conditioning the fractions with fatty acid; and subjecting the fractions to a phosphate flotation.
6. 6. The method of Claim 5 where the magnésium suppressant is a polymer comprising:

   a base monomer comprising acrylic acid, acrylamide, or a combination of acrylic acid and acrylamide; and a functional monomer comprising hydroxyl ethyl méthacrylate, 2acrylamido-2-methyl propane sulfonic acid, 3-allyloxy-l, 2-propanediol, and/or a dérivative thereof.
7. 7. The method of Claim 5 where adding the magnésium suppressant to the fractions prevents magnésium within the fractions from interacting with the fatty acid, which minimizes the extent to which the magnésium interacts with hydrophobie bubbles during the phosphate flotation.
8. 8. The method of Claim 5 further comprising grinding the fractions prior to adding the magnésium suppressant.
9. 9. The method of Claim 8 where the grinding results in a particle size of less than 100 microns.
10. 10. A method of reducing dolomite concentrations in phosphate processing, the method comprising:

    adding magnésium flocculant to phosphate rock during processing at a chemical plant.
11. 11. The method of Claim 10 where the magnésium flocculant is a polymer comprising:

    a base monomer comprising acrylic acid, acrylamide, or a combination of acrylic acid and acrylamide; and a functional monomer comprising hydroxyl ethyl méthacrylate, 2acrylamido-2-methyl propane sulfonic acid, 3-allyloxy-l, 2-propanediol, and/or a dérivative thereof.
12. 12. The method of Claim 10, further comprising:

    transferring the phosphate rock to a clarifier or thickener, where the magnésium flocculant selectively flocculates dolomite in the phosphate rock such that the dolomite settles to the bottom of the clarifier or thickener; and removing the dolomite from the bottom of the clarifier or thickener.
13. 13. The method of Claim 10, further comprising rinsing the phosphate rock with pond water to extract soluble magnésium prior to adding the magnésium flocculant.
14. 14. The method of Claim 13, further comprising adding coagulant with the magnésium flocculant.

    * T
15. 15. The method of Claim 10, further comprising grinding the fractions prior to adding the magnésium flocculant.
16. 16. The method of Claim 15 where the grinding results in a particle size of less than 100 microns.