Purification of trona ores by conditioning with an oil-in-water emulsion
US7517509B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 30, 2005 |
| Grant date | Apr 14, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 19, 2027 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
- CPC primaryC22B26/10
- WIPO fieldMaterials, metallurgy
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
The present invention is a trona concentrate and a process for floating gangue material from trona ore that comprises forming an emulsion, conditioning the trona ore at a high solids content in a saturated trona suspension, and then floating and removing the gangue material. The process for separating trona from gangue materials in trona ore can include emulsifying an oil in an aqueous solution to form an oil-in-water emulsion. A saturated trona suspension having a high solids content can also be formed having trona of a desired particle size. The undissolved trona in the saturated suspension can be conditioned by mixing the saturated suspension and the oil-in-water emulsion to form a conditioning solid suspension of trona and gangue material. A gas can be injected through the conditioning solid suspension to float the gangue material. Thus, the floated gangue material can be readily separated from the trona to form a purified trona concentrate without requirements of additional heat or other expensive processing steps.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.