US1439107A - Flotation agent - Google Patents

Description

Mercedes. is, 1922.

cnrra s'rares I 1,439,107 PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH HIDY JAMES, 015 PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 CLARENCE P.

BYRNES, TRUSTEE, OF SEWICKLEY, PENNSYLVANIA.

FLOTATION AGENT.

" No Drawing. Application filed June 28, 1919, Serial No. 807,264. Renewed April 27, 1922. Serial No.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH HIDY JAMES, residing at Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Flotation Agents, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription In my copending application Serial No. 272,567, filed January 22, 1919, I have described a process of making aldehyde fatty acids from open chain hydrocarbons occurring in petroleum, shale oil, or the oil from the low temperature distillation of coal, or their distillates. The process therein described is a process of partial combustion wherein air is mixed with the vapor of the open chain hydrocarbons and the mixture passed through a catalytic agent under certain temperature and other conditions. When properly carried out, the process will produce a product having for its major content the various intermediate oxidation products of open chain hydrocarbons, i. e., aldehyde fatty acids, aldehydes, alcohols and as seeondary products, waxes of the aldehyde fatty acids. While the other oxidation products mentioned probably influence the flotation effect, I believe the primary effect here to be due to the aldehyde fatty acids and waxes present in a given mixture.

In the flotation industry, the oils used at present are usually divided in two classes according to their functions, namely, collectors, such as coal tar solutions or fuel oil, these being usually added in the ball mill before feeding the material into the first flotation machine, the purpose of such collectors being to wet or coat the finely divided ore particles; and second, frothers, such as creosote or pine oil, which serve to carry up the coated ore particles to the top of the agitated liquid bath. In these groups, the collectors are usually the cheaper oils or tars, while the frothers are usually the more expensive wood or coal tar creosotes or the still more expensive pine oils.

I have discovered that my oxidation products containing the aldehyde fatty acids are valuable both as combination collectors and frothers; and also for use as frothers only, some other cheap oil or tar being used for the collector. That is, my product may be iJsed both as a collector to wet or coat the ore and also as a frother in the agitation tank; or it may be used in the agitation tank as a frother alone. I have also found that where the said partial oxidation products are used as frothers the best results are obtained by using as a collector therewith a heavy hydrocarbon fraction or distillate of the same series as that from which the aldehyde mixture is prepared. By using some of the lighter distillates, such as kerosene and the lighter fuel oil fractions for partial oxidation into the aldehyde fatty acid mixture, I can, with considerable advantage, use the heavier hydrocarbon fraction or fractions of the same series for the collector;

In making experiments to determine the effect of-small quantities of my oxidation products in flotation work where it is desirable, to use large quantities of cheap oil, such as fuel oil for the collector, the oxidation products being added to produce the desired frothing, I have found that if partial combustion products are made from certain oils, particularly California petroleum which, in addition to open chain hydrocarbons contains closed-ring hydrocarbons of the naphthene type, that products having frothing values approaching that of pine oil are obtained.

Pine oil consists largely of terpenes, and I believe that in .my process when an oi or an oil distillate of the naphthene base type is used, my product contains in addition to the oxidation products of open chain hydrocarbons, naphthenic bodies having part of their hydrogen removed by oxidation, with the resulting formation of terpenic hydrocarbons. In any event, I have found that my partial combustion products which are of value as frothing agents in the flotation process, are increased in value when they are made from an oil containing naphthenes, and I attribute the increased value to the chemical action above crushed and pulverized to (30 mesh. Apparatus .used, Ja-nney laboratory flotation machine with 2 liters water per charge, using for a frother the oxidized product from California petroleum (250350 C.) fraction, and for collector the fraction of raw oil from same source, boiling from 350400 'C., in the proportions of .16 cc. and .1 cc., re spectively. I obtained a fine froth, rapid carrying up and fairly 'clean concentrates with small amount of slimes. These quantities amount to 04% frother and .02% col lector, percentages being based on weight of ore.

(2) 400 grams copper pyrites and barnite ore (quartz-granite gangue) was used. For flotation 5.5, cc. of a mixture consisting of 1.25% pine oil and 98.75% 3-50400 fraction California oil (raw) was taken. Froth was perfect, correct depth, perfect carrying up and 95% extraction in 20 minutes.

(3) Same ore as in 2. For flotation 5.5 cc. of a mixture consisting of 5% oxidized California oil (250350 C. fraction) for frother, and 95% California oil fraction (raw) 350400 C. fraction, for collector. F rothing was too rapid, concentrates fairly clean. froth deep. It was evident that frothing agent was in excess. In the following experiment, the frother was cut down.

(4) 400 grams same ore as in preceding experiment was used. The flotation oil was made by taking 2.5% of the oxidized California oil 250350 C.) fraction for frother and 97.5% California oil (raw) 350-400 fraction for collector, and 5.5 cchwas used. Took longer time to bring up sulphides than with pine oil above, but concentrates were fairly clean and 95% extraction was obtained in about 25 minutes.

The advantages of my invention result from my discovery of the peculiar advantage and functions of the aldehyde fatty acids and other intermediate hydrocarbon oxidation products in the art of mineral flotation. As my partial oxidation product can be obtained relatively cheaply from open chain hydrocarbons, a much cheaper frother than those now employed is afforded with fully as good, and 1n many cases, better results. Furthermore, my material may be used both as a collector and frother, if dcsired. By purchasing crude oil and-using the lighter distillates for obtaining my aldehyde fatty acid mixtures, I have found, as above shown, that the lower distillate or distillates of the same series are of particular advantage as collectors in the flotation process. That is, when the aldehyde acid mixtures are obtained from a certain oil or dis tillate, the heavier distillates of the same base oil are specially valuable in the collecting portion of the process.

As above stated, my product is of special advantage and of increased frothing value when it is made from the oils or oil distillates containing naphthenes.

Changes may be made in the hydrocarbon employed, in producing my partial oxidation products, the percentages of the terpenes, aldehydes, aldehyde fatty acids, etc., therein, certain of the compounds may be removed, and other changes may be made without departing from my invention.

I make no claim herein broadly covering the product of the partial oxidation process disclosed in my copending application, Serial No. 272,567, above referred to, as the said claims are contained therein.

I claim:

1. As a new article of manufacture, a flotation agent containing a mixture of aldehyde fatty acids.

2. A flotation agent containing fatty acids and aldehydes.

8. A flotation agent containing an aldehyde acid and terpenes.

4. A flotation agent containing aldehyde fatty acids, aldehydes and terpenes.

5. A flotation agent containing aldehyde fatty acids and aldehyde acid waxes.

6. A flotation agent containing aldehyde fatty acids, aldehyde acid waxes and terpenes.

7. As a new article of manufacture, a flotation agent consisting of the partial combustion or partial oxidation product of petroleum containing naphthenes.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

aldehyde JOSEPH HIDY JAMES.