US1155836A - Apparatus for the concentration of ores. - Google Patents

Description

T. M. OWEN. APPARATUS FOR THE CONCENTRATION OF ORES.

APPLICATION FILED MAYZ. I914.

l,155,836n v Patented Oct. 5, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

7 1/11 asses. i Inventor.

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T. M. OWEN. APPARATUS FOR THE CONCENTRATION OF ORES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 2| l9I4.

Patented Oct.

5, 1915. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ATTORNEY IINITED STATES PATENT oFFIo THOMAS MAGKELLAR OWEN,

ASSIGNOR TO MINERALS SEPARATION AMERICAN SYNDICATE LONDON, ENGLAND.

(191a) LIMITED, or

APIE 'ARATU S FOR THE CONCENTRATION OF ORES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented Oct.'5, 1915.

Application f led May 2, 1914. Serial No. 835,811.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, THOMAS MACKELLAR OWEN, a subject of the King of England, residing at Broken Hill, New South Wales, Australia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for the Concentration ofv Ores, of which the follow- Lavers," No.

man, Greenway and Higgins, No. 962,678,

issued June 28, 1910,and of Greenway and Lavers, No. 1,064,723, issued June 17, 1913, and is particularly well adapted for differential flotation, as described, for example, in United States patent to Nutter and 1,067 ,48'5, issued July- 15, 1913.

Hitherto it has been common practice to introduce the ore pulp with the agents necessary for froth formation into an agitation vessel where the pulp was subjected to v10- by the beating after which the was dis lent agitation accompanied in of the supernatant air, pulp (containing a potential froth) charged into a separate spitzkasten in which the froth floated and was separated.

My invention consists of an ore concentration apparatus in which the air mother part of the apparatus,

gas is introduced into the lower part of the apparatus pulp and minute division of the air (or a1r emulsification) akes place 1n such lower pass upwardly and means are interposed in their upward movement for producing a condition of comparative quiescence at the upper part of the apparatus so that the froth may rise to the surface of the pulp and float off from or be removed from such surface.

My invention includes an apparatus in which the agitation and aeration of the pulp and the formation and flotation of the froth can take place in one vessel, so that the mineral-bearing froth can be produced continuously and removed from the surface of the pulp as soon as it is formed. In such appaparatus embodying my invention.

and in which the agitatlon of the and in which the agitated pulp and air emulsion are allowed to ratus, the pulp in the upper part of the vessel is subjected to a continuous stream of'min ute air bubbles, and this stream of minute a1r bubbles may be regulatedas desired.

The accompanying drawings illustrate ap- I will now particularly describe such apparatus and will thereafter point out my invention in claims.

Figure 1 is a vertical central section of one form of apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a. vertical central section of another form of such apparatus. 'Fig. 3 is :1? horizontal section taken on the line 33 of 1g. 2. Referring first to Fig. 1 a vertical glass cyllnder A with opentop has a neck at .the bottom with a central orifice B provided or BROKEN HILL, new SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA,

with a regulating valve C. At the bottom of the vessel is a paddle or propeller agitator D with inclined blades. The paddle is carried on a vertical spindle which is rotated at a highspeed in such a direction as to throw the liquid contents upward. Imme' diately above the top of the paddle a ring I carrying four vertical baffles E .is fitted a into the cylinder. These baflies terminate a substantial distance below the surface of the liquid in the cylinder. The normal level of still liquid is indicated by the broken line X. At the top of'the apparatus an overflow launder Y is provided which performs the usual function of receiving and carrying off the floating concentrate. In operation the air or other gas is admitted to the apparatus through the orifice B at the bottom, the amount being regulated and controlled by adjustment of the valveC', and theair or other gas is delivered toward the agitator D. Three zones of different character are produced in the apparatus; F the atomizing zone b'eingthe zone of intense agitation and aeration near the bottom of the vessel; G the baffling zone where the whirl of the mass is broken up; H the separating zone where the liquid mass is sufliciently still to allow of the froth separation taking place.

Such an apparatus may be used intermittently or continuously that is to say, the

overflow may be continuous or the froth. may be periodically removed by introducing sufficient liquid to cause the overflow. It is possible with an-apparatus of this sort to treat a given charge-of pulp and continuously or intermittently to remove the froth until the rising froth is white and contains-no mineral. Such an apparatus is particularly suitable for carrying out laboratory tests, but may also be used on a large scale for commercial operations.

Referring to Fig. 2, the apparatus here shown comprises a vertical cylindrical vessel J havinga'conical bottom K and atapered or conical upper portion L. An inlet conduit M for ore pulp leads into the bottom of this Vessel. .An inlet conduit N for air also leads into the bottom of the vessel, preferably centrally therein, and a'valve O is arranged in this conduit to control the air admission. near the bottom of the vessel and four vertical baflies E are located in the vessel above the agitator. At the top of the vessel an overflow launder Q is provided. An outlet conduit T for the depleted tailings is located in the upper conical part of the vessel. The operation is as follows: An ore pulp with a frothing agent (such as eucalyptus oil) is introduced into the vessel J through the pulp inlet M, air is introduced through the air inlet N and may be supplied under pressure, and the flow of air is regulated y the valve 0. The ore pulp is violently agitated with the air and flows upward and its turbulence is restrained by the vertical bafiies E, so that at the top of the vessel the pulp is comparatively still and the froth forms and overflows into the concentrates launder Q, while the depleted ore pulp flows out of the vessel through the outlet conduit T. The-operation is preferablv continuous.

Although air is preferably used, obviously any other gas may be employed. The apparatus is Well adapted for, flotation of all of the mineral content of an ore or for fractional or diflerential flotation of part of the mineral contents of an ore, and the capacity of regulating the inflowof the supply of anor other gas makes it particularly useful for fractional or differential flotation.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is I 1. In an apparatus for concentrating ores by gaseous flotation of certain mineral particles in liquid, a single upright vessel open at the top comprising both an agitation and a separation vessel, an inlet conduit for ore pulp at the bottom of the essel, an outlet conduit for tailings near the top of the vessel, a rotatable agitator in the lower part of the vessel, a conduit, for air leading into A rotating agitator'D is'located most and separating zone above the baffling I zone.

2. In an apparatus for cencentrating ores by gaseous flotation of certain mineral particles in liquid, a single upright vessel open at the top comprising both an agitation and a separation vessel, an inlet conduit for ore pulp 'at the bottom of the vessel, an outlet conduit for tailings near the top of the vessel, a rotatable agitator in the lower part of the vessel, a conduit for air leading into the lower part of the vessel, vertically elongated baflies immediately above the agitator terminating at a substantial distance be low the surface of the liquid in the vessel for producing a bafiiing zone above the atomizing zone and .a substantially quiescent topmost and separating zone above the bafliing zone, and a concentrates launder arranged at the top of the vessel for continuous removal of froth.

3. In an apparatus for concentrating ores by gaseous flotation of certain mineral particles in liquid, a single upright cylindrically shaped vessel comprising both an agitation and a separation vessel, an inlet conduit for ore pulp at the bottom of the vessel, an outlet conduit for tailings near the top of the vessel, a rotatable agitator in the lower part of the vessel, an air conduit for air leading into the lower part of the vessel, a valve in the air conduit for regulating the amount of air delivered to the agitation zone, four'vertically elongated battles above the agitator terminating at a substantial distance below the surface of the liquid in the vessel for producing a bafl'ling zone above the atomizing zone and a substantially quiescent topmost and separating zone above the baffling zone, and a concentrates launder arranged at the top, of the vessel for continuous removal of froth. l

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

' THOMAS MACKELLAR OWEN. I Witnesses:

HENRY D. WILLIAMS, HARRY C. LEWIs..

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