Amine Alkoxylate Ester Collector for Iron Ore Silicate Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing collectors for iron ore flotation, particularly those used in separating magnetite and hematite from silicate minerals, exhibit insufficient selectivity and yield, leading to suboptimal iron ore quality due to high silicate content.
Innovation Solution
A composition containing amine alkoxylate esters or their salts, specifically designed for inverse flotation, comprising specific hydrocarbon radicals and a compound with a hydrocarbon radical that may include oxygen and nitrogen, is used to enhance the selective flotation of silicates from iron ores containing magnetite and hematite.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional collectors (fatty amines, alkyl ether amines, alkyl ether diamines) are used for silicate flotation from iron ore, then the silicate content can be reduced, but the selectivity and yield are insufficient when separating magnetite and hematite from silicates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the chemical structure of conventional collectors by introducing specific amino alcohol components with defined carbon chain lengths (C12-C22) and hydroxyl group positions. This structural parameter change enhances the collector's selective affinity for silicate surfaces while maintaining appropriate interaction with iron ore minerals, thereby improving both selectivity and yield simultaneously
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite collector molecules containing both hydrophobic hydrocarbon chains (for foam attachment) and hydrophilic amino alcohol groups (for silicate surface interaction). This composite structure enables differential adsorption behavior that improves selectivity for silicates over magnetite and hematite, while maintaining effective flotation recovery
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional collectors are used for inverse flotation, then silicate removal can be achieved, but the iron ore quality remains suboptimal due to high silicate content and insufficient separation efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the molecular parameters of the collector including carbon chain length (C12-C22), hydroxyl group position (at C2, C3, or C4), and amino group configuration. These parameter changes enhance the collector's ability to selectively adsorb on silicate surfaces at flotation conditions, achieving silicate content below 2% in the final concentrate and significantly improving iron ore quality
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The proposed collector composition significantly improves the selectivity and yield of silicate removal, reducing silicate content in iron ore to below 2%, thereby enhancing the quality of iron ore by effectively separating magnetite and hematite from accompanying silicate minerals.
Implementation Method 1
the silicate is removed with the foam using a collector, while the iron ore remains back in the so-called slurry
Implementation Method 2
the ground iron ore is brought together with water and flotation reagents in a flotation cell, whereby the silicate is removed with the foam
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a flotation reagent for iron ores containing magnetite and/or haematite and to the use of a composition containing A) at least one amine alkoxylate ester of formula (I) or a salt thereof, wherein A and B, independently of one another, represent a C2-C5 alkylene radical, R1 is a C8 to C24 alkyl or alkenyl radical, R2, R3 and R4, independently of one another, are H or a C8 to C24 acyl radical, with the proviso that at least one of the radicals R2, R3 or R4 stands for a C8 to C24 acyl radical, x, y and z, independently of one other, are an integer of from 0 to 50, with the proviso that x + y + z is an integer of from 1 to 100, and B) a compound of formula D-NH2, in which D stands for a hydrocarbon radical having from 1 to 50 carbon atoms, which can contain either an oxygen atom or an oxygen atom and a nitrogen atom, in amounts of 10 to 5.000 g/tonne as a collector in the reverse flotation of iron ore containing magnetite, haematite or both.