The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 02, 2019
Filed:
Apr. 01, 2013
Cidra Corporate Services Inc., Wallingford, CT (US);
Francis K. Didden, Wallingford, CT (US);
Alan D. Kersey, South Glastonbury, CT (US);
Michael A. Davis, Glastonbury, CT (US);
Paul J. Rothman, Windsor, CT (US);
Mark R. Fernald, Enfield, CT (US);
Christian V. O'Keefe, Durham, CT (US);
Douglas H. Adamson, Mansfield Center, CT (US);
CiDRA Corporate Services Inc., Wallingford, CT (US);
Abstract
Apparatus is provided featuring a first and second cells. The first cell receives an ore slurry having mineral particles of interest, receives unexpanded polymer microspheres comprising a surface having mineral collector chemistry attached thereto with molecules for attaching the mineral particles of interest, causes the unexpanded polymer microspheres to expand substantially in volume into expanded polymer microspheres having a substantially increased sphere surface area, and provides an expanded polymer microsphere foam layer comprising the expanded polymer microspheres with attached mineral particles of interest. The second cell receives the expanded polymer microsphere foam layer, and causes the expanded polymer microspheres to collapse substantially in volume into collapsed polymer microspheres having a substantially reduced sphere surface area that results in a mechanical shearing off of the attached mineral particles of interest. The second cell may also provide a mineral concentrate output having the mineral particles of interest.