Sulfide Ore Flotation Slurry Viscosity Reduction for Faster Settling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The rate-determining steps in sulfide ore processing, particularly concentration steps, are bottlenecked by filtration and settling issues due to high viscosity and clay swelling in alkaline environments, leading to decreased throughput and recovery rates.
Innovation Solution
The use of nonionic compounds such as polyalkylene oxide and polyol surfactants to reduce the viscosity of sulfide ore froth flotation overflow and underflow, facilitating efficient sedimentation and concentration processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional froth flotation processes are used to separate sulfide ores, then copper and molybdenum can be concentrated, but the process is bottlenecked by high viscosity and clay swelling in alkaline environments, leading to slow sedimentation and filtration rates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the pH parameter from alkaline (pH 10-13 in conventional processes) to acidic (pH 2-6) to prevent clay swelling and reduce viscosity. This parameter change fundamentally alters the rheological properties of the slurry, enabling faster sedimentation and filtration while maintaining effective separation of copper and molybdenum sulfides
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces pH adjustment agents (acids such as sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, or organic acids) as intermediaries to control the pH of the flotation slurry. These intermediaries prevent clay mineral swelling by maintaining acidic conditions, thereby reducing viscosity and improving sedimentation and filtration rates without interfering with the flotation separation mechanism
2Reliability
If alkaline agents are added to create a highly alkaline environment for froth flotation, then sulfide metal products can be separated from gangue, but clay minerals swell and increase viscosity, causing filtration and settling problems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional approach by using acidic pH instead of alkaline pH. While conventional processes raise pH to 10-13 to prevent premature precipitation, this patent lowers pH to 2-6 to prevent clay swelling. The inversion works because at acidic pH, clay minerals remain collapsed and non-swollen, maintaining low viscosity while the flotation chemistry still effectively separates sulfide metals from gangue
Solution Approach 2:
The patent fundamentally changes the pH parameter from alkaline to acidic, which reverses the swelling behavior of clay minerals. At acidic pH, clay minerals maintain a collapsed, low-volume structure that does not swell, whereas at alkaline pH they swell and increase viscosity. This parameter change eliminates the harmful effect of clay swelling while preserving separation efficiency
3Reliability
If multiple flotation steps are used to increase the ratio of metals to gangue, then separation efficiency improves, but the process complexity and time required for concentration steps increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the pH parameter to acidic conditions, which improves the rheological properties of the slurry throughout the entire flotation circuit. This single parameter change benefits all flotation stages by maintaining low viscosity and preventing clay swelling, thereby improving the efficiency of each individual stage and reducing the number of stages needed to achieve the desired metal-to-gangue ratio
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
Enhances the productivity of sulfide ore processing by reducing viscosity, improving throughput, and increasing recovery rates of copper and molybdenum, thereby optimizing plant efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
The use of nonionic compounds such as polyalkylene oxide and polyol surfactants to reduce the viscosity of sulfide ore froth flotation overflow and underflow
Implementation Method 2
The sulfide ore slurry is aerated in a separation process referred to in the art as froth flotation
Implementation Method 3
The overflow is collected and subjected to one or more sedimentation processes and optionally one or more filtration processes to reduce water content
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein are methods of reducing the viscosity of products of sulfide ore froth flotation. A froth overflow, or an underflow of sulfide ore flotation is treated using a nonionic compound to reduce the viscosity of a froth or an underflow. The lowered viscosity imparts several benefits in sulfide ore processing of copper and molybdenum metal products, including increased rate of sedimentation to yield a concentrated product.