Lead Concentrate Ozone Reverse Flotation for Arsenic Removal

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current industry practices are insufficient in reducing arsenic content in lead concentrates to meet market targets of 0.5% or less, leading to unavoidable penalty charges, and existing methods for arsenic removal are often costly and carried out in corrosive environments.

Innovation Solution

A method involving ozone treatment to remove residual collectors from lead concentrates, followed by reverse flotation using sulfide salts and alkalis to depress lead minerals, allowing arsenic to be floated out, thereby producing a purified lead concentrate.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If conventional flotation methods are used to remove arsenic, then arsenic content can be reduced, but the process requires corrosive environments and high ownership costs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvearsenic content reductionVSAvoidcorrosive environment

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical parameters by using ozone (strong oxidizing agent) instead of conventional corrosive reagents, and by adjusting pH to alkaline conditions (pH 9-11) to enable selective depression of lead minerals while floating arsenic minerals, thus achieving arsenic removal without corrosive environments

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs ozone, which decomposes into oxygen, as a temporary and non-corrosive oxidizing agent that leaves no harmful residues, replacing expensive and corrosive reagents with a cleaner, more environmentally friendly alternative that breaks down harmlessly

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Manufacturing precision

If strong oxidizing agents are used to remove arsenic, then arsenic content decreases, but the process becomes more costly and environmentally harmful

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvearsenic content reductionVSAvoidprocess cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses ozone as a strong oxidizing agent that operates under alkaline conditions (pH 9-11), which changes the chemical environment to enable selective mineral depression and floating, achieving effective arsenic removal at lower cost compared to conventional strong oxidizing agents

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

Ozone is used as a temporary oxidizing agent that decomposes into oxygen, eliminating the need for expensive and environmentally harmful persistent oxidizing chemicals, thus reducing operational costs and environmental compliance expenses

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Productivity

If residual collectors are present on mineral surfaces, then flotation efficiency increases, but arsenic removal becomes ineffective

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflotation efficiencyVSAvoidarsenic removal effectiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies a preliminary ozone treatment step before the main flotation process to oxidize and remove residual collectors from mineral surfaces, ensuring that the subsequent flotation process can effectively separate arsenic minerals from lead minerals without interference from previous reagents

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the harmful effect of residual collectors that interfere with arsenic removal into a beneficial process by using ozone to oxidize and decompose these collectors, transforming the problem of reagent interference into an opportunity for enhanced mineral surface cleaning and improved separation efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

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 method effectively reduces arsenic content to 0.66% or less, avoiding penalty charges and providing a cost-effective solution for arsenic removal.

Implementation Method 1

bubbling ozone into the slurry of the lead concentrate to remove reagents used in previous flotation processes

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectOxidation: Oxidation

Implementation Method 2

adding a sulfide salt to the slurry to depress lead mineral

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAdsorption: Adsorption

Implementation Method 3

adding an alkali to increase the pH of the slurry

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectpH adjustment:

Implementation Method 4

adding a collector and then a frother to the slurry for a reverse flotation processing, and floating the arsenic mineral out of the lead mineral

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFroth flotation: Froth Floatation

Data Source

PatentEP4077750B1Arsenic removal from lead concentrate by ozone treatment and reverse flotation

Publication Date: 2025.11.26 LAIR LIQUIDE SA POUR LETUDE & LEXPLOITATION DES PROCEDES GEORGES CLAUDE

Figure 1~2

AI summary

Method for removing arsenic mineral from a lead concentrate by reverse flotation with an ozone pre-treatment. The method comprises the steps of: receiving a slurry of the lead concentrate that has previously undergone flotation processes, bubbling ozone into the slurry of the lead concentrate to remove reagents used in previous flotation processes, adding a sulfide salt to the slurry to depress lead mineral, adding an alkali to increase the pH of the slurry, adding a collector and then a frother to the slurry for a reverse flotation processing and floating the arsenic mineral out of the lead mineral to obtain a now-purified lead concentrate.