US1069545A - Method of separating barytes from ores. - Google Patents

Description

C. J. GREENSTRBET. METHOD OF SBPARATING BABYTES FROM 0113s.

' APPLICATION FILED DEC. 20, 1912. 1,99.

Patented Aug. 5,

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To'all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES J. GREEN- s'rnnn'r, a citizen of. the United States of America, anda resident of Webster Groves, in the county of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have'i-nvented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Separating Barytes from ()res, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawin s, forming a part of this specification.

y invention relates to a method of separating: barytes from zinc and other ores found natively combined with each other.

There are large deposits of zinc and barytes ores present in different sections of the United States, and particularly in western Missouri, which never have beendeveloped for the reason that no practicable method for separating zinc and barytes ores has heretofore been discovered, it being a fact well known to those familiar with the art thatit is impossible to separate ores ofthis kind by mechanical means, such as jigs, or tables, due to the specific gravity of zinc ores and barytes being substantially the same. It is also a well known fact that, while it is-possibleto effect ,a separation of the ores by chemical action, all of the methods heretofore proposed for soseparating the ores have been such as to involve too much expense to be practicable from ,a commercial standpoint.

The object of my invention is to provide a-=method that is practicable from a-commercial standpoint, by which the zinc and barytes ores may be effectually separated.

In carrying out my method, I make use of a: suitable salt; for example, sodium chlorid,

sodium sulfate, or the bisulfate of sodium where only the sulfid of zinc is present. The salt or a combination of salts is mixed or combined with the ores to be separated, after which the ores and salt are heated in a suitable vessel to a temperature sufliciently high to render the salt molten. By so doing, I cause the barytesto separate from the, zinc ores, whether zinc sulfid, zinc carbonate, or zinc silicate, and enter into the. .molten salt/ in flotation,- thus leaving the zinc ore free, or practicallyfree, of barytes. The barytes is separated from the zinc ores in a finely divided state in the salt or-salt's andi suchi separation is occasioned by the molten saltor salts aotmgtto disintegrate ordissolve'the'barytesout of the zine ores.

Specification of Letters meat. Application-fil ed December 20, 1912'. Serial No. 737,777.

Patented Aug. 5,1913.

This separation is effected urely as a physical action, and not as a cliemical reaction; consequently, the chemical constitution of the barytes as well as the zinc ore is not changed. Inasmuch as the barytes is separated in a finely divided state, it enters read- 11y into the molten saltin flotation and suspension therein; and remains thus until the molten salt and' barytes have been withdrawn from the vessel in which the separation of the barytes is accomplished. The

molten. salt, with the barytes suspendedv therein, is withdrawn from the vessel containing. the mixture, leaving the zinc ore, the barytes is precipitated from the molten salt by any desired procedure, such for instance, as" that hereinafter mentioned, and the latter is'removed in a suitable manner, thus giving the desired free barytes.

While any suitable step for precipitation of the barytes from the molten salt may be followed, Ipreferably accomplish such precipitation by delivering the molten salt and the barytes suspended therein into a settling tank containing a quantity of water.

The accompanying drawing is a section of an apparatus in which my method may be carried out.

In practicing my method, I first crush the zinc and barytes ores to break them up to any degree that may be found desirable or take barytes concentrates direct and mix therewith a suitable amount of salt or salts,

the quantity of salt or salts used being preferably about double the proportion of barytes in the ores. The ores and salt, having been thoroughly mixed, are then placed in a suitable crucible, or other vessel, such as that indicated by. the numeral 1 in the accompanying drawlng, located in a furnace of any suitable construction, to which heat may be applied in any desired manner. The heat supplied issuflicient to raise the temperature of the mixture in the vessel 1 to the melting point of the salt in the mixture, care being taken to avoid a temperature sufliciently. great to cause volatilization of the salt. The mixture being heated to the temperature specified, the barytes is dis-- salt solution is thereafter withdrawn from the tank. The zinc ore may be removed from the vessel 1 after the salt and barytes have been withdrawn therefrom, and to permit such removal, I connect to the crucible a lower pipe 4 that is normally closed by suitable means,- through WhlCh the zinc ore may be extracted.

It should be mentioned that the salt used in carrying out my method may be recovered by evaporation of the water from the saltand water solution and be used over and over, after it has been withdrawn from the settling tank in which precipitation of the barytes occurs.

I would add that it is possible to carry out my method in a slightly modified way, towit, by.applying flame or radiated or reflected heat directly to the ores and salt combined with them. In so doing, the mixture may be placed on the floorof a furnace, and direct flame, or reflected heat, applied to the mass. In practicing a method of this modified description, the salt becomes molten, and the molten salt and barytes sink through the mass of material to a lower position, while the zinc ore will become presentas aporous mass above the salt and barytes.

It will be perceived that in'carrying out my method first described, the molten salt and barytes suspended therein become present at the top of the mass under treatment;

while, when the modified method is followed,-

they become present at the bottom of the mass, and in view of the fact that there may be seeming confliet between the statements of the different results in following the different methods, I desire to make the following statement: When the first described method is followed, the mass of zinc ore and barytes with a salt or salts combined therewith are evenly heated throughout while in a suitable vessel, due to the-heat being applied at the bottom or sides of the vessel; and, as a result, the molten salt and barytes that become suspended therein rise to the surface of the. mass; or otherwise expressed,

- the zinc ore settles at the bottom ofthe vessel with consequent displacement of the molten salt and barytes to the upper level of the mass. When, on the contrary, heat is applied only to' the surface of the mass of material undergoing treatment, the top 'portion of the mass receives the heat, while the lower portion of the mass remains at the In the foregoing description I have set forth my method as utilized for separating barytes from zinc ores, and while I have so described my improvement I wish it understood that I am cognizant that barytes may be separated by my method from metallic ores, other than zinc ores, I having found, by ex eriment, that my method may be successfu ly used in treatin the following: lead and barytes ores, lead, zinc and barytes ores, and lead, zinc and barytes ores carrying copper; I therefore claim protection for my method when utilized for separating barytes from ores of all kinds from which itmay be separated by following my method.

While I have herein specified the use of a salt or salts as the medlum for dissolving barytes to permit separation thereof from ores in practicing my method, I wish it understood that I do not thereby limit myself to the use of a salt, but claim protection for the method, when practised with the use of any equivalent for a salt as herein contemplated.

Believing it to be new with me to separate-barytes from metallic ores in general, from which barytes may beseparated b following the essential steps of my method: I wish it understood that I do not limit myself to the exact steps of the method carried out in accordance with the description first given, or in accordance with the-modification I have set forth, but claim my method broadly when 'ractised by following any fication involve placing with the ore to be treated, the chemical agent capable of dissolving the' barytes present with the ore, then heating the chemical agent to a degree to provide for the barytes belng dissolved by such chemical agentand, as a succeeding step, washing the dissolved barytes from the ore in any suitable manner,-t-his modification v differing from both the method involving? flotation, or the first modification lin the I practice 50f which the" dissolvedbarytes settles out of'theore. 1

For clearness-of description, I wish to -i2o state thatthe words dissolve and dis-" solved, as used herein, are used w'ithfltheintention that they will be understood tomean,

the separation into a fluid medium offparti cles ofa' solid body without reducing-said particles to a liquid state.-

I claim- 4 "1. The method of separa j metallic andlbarytes. ore, wh ch placing with the ore a chemical ."agent 'oa';

pable of dissolving barytes when heated, heating the ore and chemical agent to a sufficient degree to dissolve the barytes, and re moving the barytes from the metallic ore.

2. Themethod of separating barytes from metallic and barvtes ore, which consists in placing with the ore a chemical agent capable of dissolving barytes when heated, heating the ore and chemical agent to a sufficient degree to dissolve the barytes, removing the mixture of barytes and chemical agent from the metallic ore, and thereafter separating the barytes and said chemical agent.

3. The method of separating barytes from metallic and barytes ore, which consists in placing with the ore a salt capable of dissolving barytes when heated to the melting point of the salt, heating the ore and salt-to a sufiicient degree to melt the salt and dissolve the barytes, and removing the barytes from the metallic ore.

4. The method of separating barytes from metallic and barytes ore, which consists in placing with the ore a salt capable of dissolving barytes when heated to the melting point of the salt, heating the ore and salt to a sufficient degree to melt the salt and dissolve the barytes, removing the mixture of barytes and salt from the metallic ore, and thereafter separating the'barytes and salt.

' 5. The method of separating barytes from metallic and barytes ore, which consists in placing chlorid of sodium with the ore, heating the ore and chlorid of sodium to a sufiie cient degree to melt the chlorid of sodium and dissolve the barytes, and removing the barytes from the metallic ore.

6. The method of separating barytes from metallic and barytes ore, which consists in placing chlorid of sodium with the ore, heat ing the ore and chlorid of sodium to a sufficient degree to melt the chlorid of sodium and dissolve the barytes, removing the mixture of barytes and chlorid of sodium from the metallic ore, and thereafter separating the barytes and said chlorid of sodium.

7. The method of separating barytes fromzinc and barytes ore, which consists in placing with the ore a chemical agent capable of dissolving barytes when heated, heating the ore and chemicalagent to a sufficient degree to dissolve the barytes, and removing the barytes from the Zinc ore.

8. The method of separating barytes from zinc and barytes ore, which consists in placing with the ore a chemical agent capable of dissolving barytes when heated, heating the ore and chemical agent to a sufficient degree to dissolve the barytes, removing the mixture of barytes and chemical agent from the zinc ore, and thereafter separating the barytes and said chemical agent.

9. The method of separating barytes from zinc and barytes ore, which consists in placing with the ore a salt capable of dissolving barytes when heated to the melting point of the salt, heating the ore and salt to a suflicient degree to melt the salt and dissolve the barytes, and removing the barytes from the zinc ore.

10. The method of separating barytes from zinc and barytes ore, which consists in placing with the ore a salt capable of dissolving barytes when heated to the melting point of the salt, heating the ore and salt to a suflicient degree to melt the salt and dis solve the barytes, removing the mixture of barytes and salt from the zinc ore, and thereafter separating the barytes and the salt.

11. The method of separating barytes from zinc and barytes ore, which consists in placing chlorid of sodium with the ore, heating the ore and chlorid of sodium to a sufiicient degree to melt the chlorid of sodium and dissolve the barytes, and removing the barytes from the zinc ore.

12. The method of separating barytes from zinc and barytes ore, which consists in placing chlorid of sodium with the ore, heat ing the ore and chlorid of sodium to a sufiicient degree to melt the chlorid of sodium and dissolve the barytes, removing the mixture of barytes and chlorid of sodium from the zinc ore, and thereafter separating the barytes and chlorid of sodium.

CHARLES JASON GREENSTREET.

In the presence of A. J. MCCAULEY, E. Bw LINN.

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