Mobil Oil Corporation

Susanne Von Rosenberg

Ross A Kremer

Robert J Anthes

There is disclosed a process and an apparatus for beneficiating a mineral ore, such as phosphate-containing ore, in a substantially vertical column. The feed subjected to the benefication preferably has a particle size of less than 20 mesh. The feed is introduced into the column, containing at least one baffle, into which there is also introduced a gas at the bottom portion thereof and a liquid through at least one column inlet at the top of the column. The baffle and the rates of introduction of the feed, the gas, and the liquid are such as to create relatively high turbulence conditions within the column. The enriched, beneficiated product is removed at the top of the column, while the waste products, such as silica-containing material, in the case of a phosphate ore, are recovered at the bottom of the column. The column is either used as a single step flotation apparatus to recover mineral ore, or, preferably, as an apparatus of a multi-step flotation process wherein the rougher flotation step is carried out in the column and a subsequent cleaner flotation step in a conventional flotation apparatus, e.g., a Denver Flotation Cell.

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Princeton, NJ, United States of America

Susanne Von Rosenberg