Hazen Research, Inc.

James K Kindig

Ronald L Turner

One or more mineral values of sulfide ores are beneficiated by cotreating the sulfide ore with a metal containing compound and a reducing gas under conditions such as to selectively enhance the magnetic susceptibility of the mineral values to the exclusion of the gangue in order to permit a physical separation between the values and gangue.

Process for beneficiating sulfide ores

In a process for beneficiating one or more mineral values of sulfide ores by treating the sulfide ore with a metal containing compound under conditions such as to selectively enhance the magnetic susceptibility of the mineral values to the exclusion of the gangue in order to permit a separation between the values and gangue, the improvement comprising pretreating the sulfide ore by heating it to a temperature of at least about 80.degree. C. for at least about 0.1 hours.

In a process for beneficiating one or more mineral values of sulfide ores and/or metal oxide ores selected from the group consisting of bauxite, taconite, apatite, titanium oxides and the metal oxides of Groups IIIB, IVB, VB, VIB, VIIB, VIIIB, IB, IIB and IVA by treating the ore with a metal containing compound under conditions such as to selectively enhance the magnetic susceptibility of the mineral values to the exclusion of the gangue in order to permit a separation between the values and gangue, the improvement comprising removing at least a portion of any elemental sulfur present from the ore prior to the treatment with a metal containing compound.

Process for beneficiating ores

One or more mineral values of metal oxide ores selected from the group consisting of bauxite, taconite, apatite, titanium oxides and the metal oxides of Groups, IIIB, IVB, VB VIB, VIIB, VIIIB, IB, IIB and IVA are beneficiated by treating the ore with a metal containing compound under conditions such as to selectively enhance the magnetic susceptibility of the mineral values to the exclusion of the gangue in order to permit a physical separation between the values and gague.

Process for beneficiating oxide ores

One or more mineral values of sulfide ores are beneficiated by treating the sulfide ore with a metal containing compound under conditions such as to selectively enhance the magnetic susceptibility of the mineral values to the exclusion of the gangue in order to permit a physical seaparation between the values and gangue.

A process for beneficiating particulate gold from non-magnetic foreign material with which it is mixed which comprises contacting the mixture with an iron carbonyl in order to selectively enhance the magnetic susceptibility of the gold particles so that a magnetic separation between the gold and foreign material may be effected.

Process for beneficiating gold

In a process for beneficiating one or more mineral values of a metal oxide ore selected from the group consisting of bauxite, taconite, chrysocolla, apatite, titanium oxides and the metal oxides of Groups IIIB, IVB, VB, VIB, VIIB, VIIIB, IB, IIB and IVA by treating the ore with a metal containing compound, preferably iron carbonyl, under conditions such as to selectively enhance the magnetic susceptibility of the mineral values to the exclusion of the gangue in order to permit a separation between the values and gangue, the improvement comprising pretreating the metal oxide ore by heating it to a temperature of at least about 80.degree. C. for a time period of at least about 0.1 hours.

Raw coal is improved by reacting it with a metal containing compound selected from the group consisting of organic iron containing compounds which exert sufficient vapor pressure, with iron as a component in the vapor, so as to bring the iron into contact with the impurity at the reaction temperature, organic iron containing compounds in solution at the injection temperature, solid organic iron containing compounds capable of being directly mixed in solid form at the mixing temperature with the coal, and ferrous chloride, ferric chloride, and alkyl aluminum compounds, in order to enhance the magnetic susceptibility of certain impurities, e.g., pyrite and ash-forming minerals contained in the raw coal, thereby permitting the removal of these impurities by magnetic means.

Treatment of coal with metal containing compounds

In a process for improving coal wherein the raw coal is treated with a metal containing compound in order to enhance the magnetic susceptibility of certain impurity components contained in the raw coal permitting their removal by magnetic separation, the improvement comprising pretreating the coal by heating it to at least a temperature for at least a period of time sufficient to essentially meet or exceed a time and temperature relationship expressed as:

Process for improving coal

In a process for improving coal containing elemental sulfur wherein the coal is treated with a metal containing compound in order to enhance the magnetic susceptibility of various impurities contained within the coal thereby permitting their removal by magnetic separation, the improvement comprising removing at least a portion of the elemental sulfur prior to performing the magnetic susceptibility enhancement treatment.

The magnetic susceptibility of various impurities contained within coal is increased by simultaneously cotreating the coal with a metal containing compound and a gas selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and carbon monoxide.

Removal of impurities from coal

Coal particles are made resistant to spontaneous combustion by coating them with silicon dioxide by a vapor deposition process in which the particles in a coating chamber are contacted at a temperature that promotes the deposition on the particles of the reaction products between silicon tetrachloride vapor and water, the coating step followed by elevating the chamber temperature to drive off water vapor and hydrochloric acid.

Process for treating coal to make it resistant to spontaneous combustion

A process for improving coal wherein the raw coal is reacted with substantially undecomposed iron carbonyl which alters the apparent magnetic susceptibility of certain impurity components contained in the raw coal thereby permitting their removal by low intensity magnetic separators. The process is especially effective for removing pyrite from coal, while at the same time reducing ash and increasing the calorific value.

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Arvada, CO, United States of America

James K Kindig