Note : Les revendications sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A method of preparing molybdenite bearing concentrates containing
an acid insoluble fraction consisting principally of hydrophobic silicates
containing magnesium which is conventionally floated or depressed with the
molybdenite fraction during flotation, said method including the steps of
conditioning an aqueous pulp of the molybdenite bearing ore or concentrate
with a water-soluble metallic salt of a weak base and strong acid and a water-
soluble salt of a weak acid; agitating said conditioned aqueous pulp, and
subjecting said agitated conditioned pulp to froth flotation.
2. The method according to claim 1 including the additional steps of
particulating the molybdenite bearing concentrate and adjusting the density of
the aqueous pulp from about 1 to about 45% solids.
3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the aqueous pulp is first
conditioned with the water-soluble metallic salt of the weak base and strong
acid.
4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the aqueous pulp is condi-
tioned with from about 1 to about 30 pounds per ton of pulp solids of the
water-soluble metallic salt of the weak base and strong acid.
5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the water-soluble metallic
salt of a weak base and strong acid is selected from the water-soluble alumi-
num, manganese, zinc, chromium, iron and cadmium salts of hydrofluoric acid,
hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, and sulfuric acid.
6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the water-soluble salt of a
weak acid is selected from the water-soluble alkali metal, alkaline earth metal
and ammonium salts of silicic acids, carbonic acid, acids of phosphorous and
acids of boron.
7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the water-soluble metallic
salt and a weak base and a strong acid is selected from the group consisting
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of zinc sulfate, aluminum sulfate and chromium sulfate.
8. The method according to claim 1 wherein the water-soluble salt of
the weak acid is selected from the group consisting of sodium silicate, sodium
monohydrogen orthophosphate and sodium bicarbonate.
9. The method according to claim 1 wherein the water-soluble metallic
salt of the weak base and strong acid is zinc sulfate and the water-soluble
salt of the weak acid is sodium silicate.
10. A method of separating ore or concentrate having molybdenite and a
substantial amount of hydrophobic silicate containing magnesium by froth
flotation to obtain a molybdenite enriched concentrate and hydrophobic sili-
cate enriched tailings, which method includes the steps of:
(1) forming a dual agent conditioned aqueous pulp of said ore or
concentrate,
said dual agent consisting essentially of
(I) (a) water soluble metallic salt of a weak base and a strong acid,
and
(b) water soluble salt of a weak acid, except when said weak acid
is hydroferrocyanic acid, or
(II) (a) water soluble zinc salt of a strong acid, and
(b) water soluble salt of hydroferrocyanic acid;
(2) agitating said conditioned aqueous pulp; and
(3) subjecting said agitated conditioned aqueous pulp to froth flotation
separation whereby a molybdenite enriched concentrate is flotated and hydro-
phobic silicate is selectively depressed into the tailings from said froth
flotation separation.
11. The method according to claim 10 where said hydrophobic silicate is
talc.
12. The method according to claim 10 where said dual agent consists
essentially of:
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(I) (a) water soluble metallic salt of a weak base of which the cation
is selected from the class consisting of aluminum, cadmium, chromium, cobalt,
copper, calcium, magnesium, iron, manganese, nickel and zinc, and a strong acid
selected from the class consisting of hydrochloric acid, hydrofluoric acid,
nitric acid, and sulfuric acid affording the anions chloride, fluoride, nitrate
and sulfate, and
(b) water soluble alkali metal, water soluble alkaline earth metal,
or water soluble ammonium salt of weak acid selected from the class consisting
of boron acids, carbonic acid, acids of phosphorus, and silicic acid; or
(II) (a) water soluble zinc chloride, zinc fluoride, zinc nitrate, or
zinc sulfate, and
(b) water soluble alkali metal, water soluble alkaline earth metal,
or water soluble ammonium salt of hydroferrocyanic acid.
13. The method according to claim 12 where said conditioning is carried
out by adding said metallic salt of (I)(a) and (II)(a) to said aqueous pulp
to condition said pulp prior to the addition of said salt of (I)(b) and
(II)(b), as the case may be.
14. The method according to claim 12 where said aqueous pulp is treated
with between about 1 and 30 pounds per ton of pulp solids of said metallic
salt of (I)(a) and between about 1 and 45 pounds per ton of pulp solids of
said salt of (I)(b) and (II)(b) as the case may be.
15. The method according to claim 10 where said dual agent consists
essentially of
(a) water soluble metallic salt of a weak base of which the cation
is selected from the class consisting of aluminum, cadmium, chromium, cobalt
copper, calcium, magnesium, iron, magnanese, nickel and zinc, and a strong
acid selected from the class consisting of hydrochloric acid, nitric acid and
sulfuric acid affording the anions chloride, nitrate and sulfate, and
(b) sodium silicate or potassium silicate.
16. The method according to claim 10 where said dual agent consists
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essentially of
(a) water soluble metallic salt of a weak base
of which the cation is selected from the class consisting
of aluminum, chromium, copper, manganese, and zinc, and
a strong acid selected from the class consisting of
hydrochloric acid, nitric acid and sulfuric acid affording
the anions chloride, nitrate and sulfate, and
(b) sodium bicarbonate, potassium bicarbonate,
or ammonium, bicarbonate.
17. The method according to claim 10 where said
dual agent consists essentially of
(a) water soluble metallic salt of a weak
base of which the cation is selected from the class
consisting of aluminum, chromium, manganese, and zinc,
and a strong acid selected from the class consisting
of hydrochloric acid, nitric acid and sulfuric acid
affording the anions chloride, nitrate and sulfate,
and
(b) water soluble sodium monohydrogen
orthophosphate, or ammonium monohydrogen orthophosphate.
18. The method according to claim 10 where said
dual agent consists essentially of
(a) water soluble metallic salt of a weak base of
which the cation is selected from the class consisting of
aluminum, cobalt, copper, manganese, and zinc, and a
strong acid selected from the class consisting of
hydrochloric acid, nitric acid and sulfuric acid affording
the anions chloride, nitrate and sulfate, and
(b) water soluble sodium borate, potassium
borate or ammonium borate.
19. The method according to claim 10 where said dual
agent consists essentially of
(a) water soluble metallic salt of a weak
base of which the cation is selected from the class
consisting of aluminum, copper, and zinc, and a strong
acid selected from the class consisting of hydrochloric
acid, nitric acid and sulfuric acid affording the anions
chloride, nitrate and sulfate, and
(b) water soluble sodium orthophosphate, potassium
orthophosphate, or ammonium orthophosphate.
20. The method according to claim 10 where said
dual agent consists essentially of
(a) water soluble zinc chloride, zinc nitrate
or zinc sulfate, and
(b) sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate,
ammonium carbonate, sodium ferrocyanide, potassium ferro-
cyanide or ammonium ferrocyanide.
21. The method according to claim 10 where said dual agent consists
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essentially of
(a) water soluble zinc chloride, zinc nitrate, or zinc sulfate,
and
(b) sodium silicate or potassium silicate.
22. A method of separating molybdenite concentrate containing molyb-
denite as the major metal value, talc and other acid insoluble minerals,
which method consists essentially of:
(1) forming an aqueous pulp of said concentrate;
(2) conditioning said aqueous pulp with zinc sulfate;
(3) adding to said conditioned pulp potassium ferrocyanide;
(4) agitating said conditioned aqueous pulp; and
(5) subjecting said agitated conditioned pulp to froth flotation
separation whereby a molybdenite enriched concentrate is floated and talc is
selectively depressed into the tailings from said froth flotation separation.
23. The method according to claim 22 wherein said zinc sulfate is added
in an amount of about 6 pounds per ton of solids and said ferrocyanide is
added in an amount of about 8 pounds per ton of solids.
24. A method of separating ore or concentrate having molybdenite and a
substantial amount of hydrophobic silicate containing magnesium by froth
flotation to obtain a molybdenite enriched concentrate and hydrophobic
silicate enriched tailings, which method consists essentially of:
(1) forming a dual agent treated aqueous pulp of said ore or concentrate,
said dual agent consisting essentially of
(I) (a) water soluble metallic salt of a weak base and a strong acid,
and
(b) water soluble salt of a weak acid selected from the group
consisting of boron acids, carbonic acids, acids of phosphorous and silicic
acids; or
(II) (a) water soluble zinc salts of a strong acid, and
(b) water soluble salt of hydroferrocyanic acid, and
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(2) subjecting said dual agent treated aqueous pulp to froth flotation
separation whereby a molybdenite enriched concentrate is floated and hydro-
phobic silicate is selectively depressed into the tailings from said froth
flotation separation.
25. A method of separating ore or concentrate having molybdenite and a
substantial amount of a hydrophobic silicate talc containing magnesium by froth
flotation to obtain a molybdenite enriched concentrate and hydrophobic silicate
talc enriched tailings, which method consists essentially of:
(1) forming a dual agent treated aqueous pulp of said ore or
concentrate,
where the treating agent consists essentially of aluminum sulfate
and sodium silicate, and
(2) subjecting said dual treated aqueous pulp to froth flotation
separation whereby a molybdenite enriched concentrate is floated and hydro-
phobic silicate talc is selectively depressed into the tailings from said
froth flotation separation.
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