Method of extraction of selected minerals from ore pulps by pressure flotation and device to this end. RU patent 2507007.

FIELD: process engineering.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to concentration of minerals by flotation, particularly, for extraction of sliming mineral polymetallic ore pulps, for example, for extraction of valuable metals from slimes and can be used for concentration of fine and superfine ingrained polymetallic ores. Method of extraction of selected minerals from ore pulps by pressure flotation comprises processing of the pulp by flotation reagents for hydrophobisation of mineral particle surface and water saturation with air under pressure. Prepared conditioned pulp is thoroughly mixed with air-saturated water at barometric pressure while produced mix is processed by stream of air bubbles of flotation sizes generated nearby flotation chamber bottom.

EFFECT: higher efficiency of pressure flotation.

10 cl, 8 dwg

The invention relates to mineral processing by flotation, extraction of pulps of polymetallic ores minerals, together with other known methods flotation or independently, for example, for the recovery of precious metals from the tailings of gravity separation. In addition, the invention may be used for the enrichment of fine and finely-disseminated ores.

Method of extraction of selected minerals from the ore slurries pressure flotation

The method of flotation is based on the elementary act of sticking hydrophobized particles elected minerals created in the pulp air bubbles by collision, formed units particle - bubble under the action of buoyancy floats on the surface of the pulp in the form of a foam, with subsequent discharge of this foam in the unit. Foam is dehydrated, turning in concentrate of recoverable minerals, and the chamber product - depleted pulp - falls in the form of flotation tailings pond [1].

A rich gamut known flotation reagents pulp before the flotation process required turning particles elected minerals in hydrophobic particles, particles and other minerals in turn hydrophilic, water particles.

Then, in the pulp of this or that method atmospheric air, create the conditions for adhesion hydrophobized particles created in the pulp air bubbles. Sticking hydrophobized particles to bubbles and keeping them on the surface of a bubble occurs under the influence of intermolecular forces, existing on the particle surface and bubble in the form of free energy surface, created uncompensated forces of the molecules and atoms, lying on the surface.

Action forces begins to occur at a distance of 1000 PM ( 1*10 -12 m), and the maximum possible action occurs at a distance of 500 PM, but the further rapprochement of reacting particles counteracts the electron repulsion molecules approaching particles [2].

Rapproachement of particles with a bubble prevent hydrate layers on the surface of particles and bubble. On a bubble and particle these layers are thin, but, however, they prevent particle achieve scope forces. To overcome this obstacle, the particle give the movement and at the expense arising inertial forces of motion of a particle is able to face the bubble and the piercing of the hydrate layers of bubble and particles to enter the zone of action of forces. According to the available data for the retention of particles on the bubble enough to stay particles in the zone of the forces within 0,01-0,001 second.

A decrease of the mass of the hydrophobized particle sizes of less than 0.05 mm inertia forces of such particles is impaired and it is becoming more difficult to break the hydrate layers and elementary act of flotation such a small particle does not occur, therefore they are not floated. It should be noted that the crushing and grinding of ore produced for the purpose of liberation of recoverable minerals from accrete with them waste rock, and the smaller the ore is crushed, the bigger the share of minerals is free. Especially important it is for enrichment and the more finely-disseminated ores.

For the reasons outlined above particles with a small weight and, accordingly, low-inertial force, failing to break through the hydrate shell and connect with a bubble, i.e. are not able to commit the primary elementary act of flotation, so they are not floated and even complicate the flotation of the optimum sizes of particles.

At the same time flotation of such particles is of utmost importance when processing, for example, gold sand, in which much of the precious metals is in the form of small particles of size less than 0.05 mm, not recoverable neither gravity nor flotation methods. Therefore, a number of sources indicates that the enrichment of such Sands to 50% of contained gold in them cannot be taken out and goes into the tails. It is for these fields we need a method of flotation in which air bubbles selectively be connected with such small particles and remove them in a foamy layer.

In the first half of XX century an attempt was made to use a method of flotation treatment of sewage, but the result of cleaning them was very low. While analyzing the reasons of such a low level of wastewater treatment classic flotation concluded that the size of the flotation bubbles, ranging from 1 to 6.4 mm, as he has appeared in dozens of times more than the size of particles of dirt. Reduce the size of the bubbles to the size of approaching the size of particles of dirt, mechanical dispersion of air in waste water proved impossible even theoretically. Then they remembered about the law of Henry opened William Henry in 1803 [2, 3]. Under this law, the solubility of gases in liquids, including air in the water directly proportional to the pressure of the gas above the liquid, i.e. how many times the pressure increases, in the same time increases the solubility of gas or air in the water compared with its solubility in water at the same temperature at atmospheric pressure.

When the pressure decreases the solubility of the gas and aqueous air, obtained under pressure, is supersaturated air and unstable at atmospheric pressure. Therefore, excess air spontaneously (spontaneously) starts to move from the phase of the solution in the gas phase. This phase transition is carried out in the form of tiny bubbles, germs which can selectively be formed on hydrophobic particles of pollution, and to grow on them as a result of diffusion of air from the adjacent solution. This is done by moving the molecules of water with the hydrophobic surface. And if particulate contamination is insufficient, the bubbles out and in the volume of water. This is because the hydrophobic surface of the surrounding water molecules are poorly connected with it and formed on the surface of the germ bubbles easily shift their spending low energy. In contrast, when embryos air in the volume of water and their growth, they have to break fairly strong bonds of polar water molecules with each other, spending a much greater energy. In other words, work performed by the embryos of the air on a hydrophobic surface, much less work on the establishment of a gas cavity in the volume of water. That is why the air bubbles energetically more advantageous form selectively on hydrophobic surfaces, particles, impurities, than in the volume of water.

On this basis a method of flotation particulate contamination, carried out in a patented device for sewage treatment by pressure flotation technology [4]. According to this method, the waste water is saturated with air under the pressure created two successive pumps rotary type. The first pump water and metered quantity of air, and the second pump water from the air, while also increasing the pressure, i.e. waste water at a pressure regulated pressure regulator type of safety valve. water through a pressure regulator was discharged in open where the pressure is reduced to atmospheric and process described above. Formed aggregates particle - bubble under the action of buoyancy showed up in foam layer, the drop in the unit, and the clarified water from the bottom of the pipe was discharged by gravity through a siphon. The disadvantage of this method was that rotary pumps particles of dirt, and it reduced their floatability. In addition, the pump rotors and fibrous impurities, reducing their efficiency. On top of that speed floating formed units particle - bubble was very low.

Later these limitations have been eliminated in the created new method, used in the new device for sewage treatment of the pressure head flotation, protected by a patent for a utility model [5]. According to this method, air is saturated with in a block of saturation of the cleaned water, which is then mixed with waste water in , and the resulting mixture in , which was organized by the current mixture from the bottom up, and ascent impurities in the foam layer.

The disadvantage of this method for use in the process of extraction of thin hydrophobic particles of minerals from the ore pulp pressure flotation is its inability to in this condition ore pulp.

Leading specialists in the field of flotation I. Sven-Nelson and .. [6, 7] found that when working mechanical flotation devices in the pulp created significant changes in pressure and there appear regions with high and low pressure.

The properties described deposits germ of air bubbles, dissolved in the pulp for fine particles with hydrophobic surface, inspired the creation of flotation machines with variable pressure: vacuum and the so-called compression. In the first case, you used the method of vacuum and the second in the pulp dissolved air under pressure [8]. Then the pressure is reduced in the pulp, the hydrophobic surface of the particles appeared micro-bubbles of air that contributed to the removal of the surface of these particles of minerals in the foam layer. However, because of large structural difficulties both methods have not found practical application in the flotation enrichment of ores.

The main constraints and limitations in how to create a micro air bubbles through active mixing pulp is too low specific output of these bubbles, and in the proposed method of vacuum flotation, especially at the required high performance flotation devices, the increasing share of output bubbles was almost impossible. The same difficulties arose in the hardware design of the compressor machines. First, passive process saturation pulp air without mixing very long, and secondly, the amount of flotation devices working under pressure, may not be small, and the required increase of the volume of the unit on the pressure, reaching 1000 DM 3 *kg/cm 2 , it comes under the strict control of the controlling agencies «»requiring special conditions of operation of such equipment, if the specified parameter 1000 DM 3 *kg/cm 2 .

Of these methods, only the so-called compression method found use, but not in enriching and wastewater treatment called «pressure flotation»described above. We felt that the individual elements of the method of pressure head flotation can be used in the processes of flotation enrichment of ores.

As is known, the classical method of flotation is based on the implementation of the primary act of flotation, consisting in the formation of the lung, a pop-up in the pulp aggregate particle - bubble. This unit occurs as a result of collisions of particles elected minerals with a bubble of air. When sufficient inertia particle breaks thin hydrate layers at its surface and on the surface of the bubble, reaching scope forces mounted on the bubble, forming a pop-up unit particle - bubble.

But if this particle is small and has inertia, sufficient for fulfilment of elementary act of flotation, as described above, is oated and remains in the depletion of the ore pulp - chamber product that is transported in the tailings storage facility jointly with particles of minerals.

Thus, the proposed method to retrieve the hydrophobized minerals from the ore slurries pressure flotation is the implementation of the elementary act of flotation, but the method is fundamentally different than in the classical flotation.

In the proposed method the education of elementary act of flotation (education aggregate particle - bubble) is carried out not by the collision of hydrophobic particles with a bubble, and by the emergence on the surface of the particles of the smallest germ of the air bubble and its growth on the surface due to the diffusion of air from the adjacent supersaturated air aqueous solution - mixtures of water from a water phase of the pulp. Spontaneously of the supersaturated solution, the air and creates Assembly required particle - bubble. That is why the suggested method of enrichment of a pressure head flotation does not matter the size of the recoverable hydrophobic particles in this radical difference of the proposed method from the classical method of flotation, based on the collision of hydrophobic particles with an air bubble.

To address the identified shortcomings in the methods of flotation recovery of minerals from the ore slurries offers a new technical solution, devoid of these shortcomings.

The claimed technical result of the proposed method is selective extraction hydrophobized particles elected minerals not recoverable known ways of flotation. The technical result is based on the use of the following essential characteristics.

Water, air at high pressure, has a concentration of air, according to Henry's law in many times more atmospheric, how many times applied when pressure was more atmospheric.

When mixed ore slurry water, in terms of atmospheric pressure decreases the solubility of air in the water, so the resulting mixture water from a water phase of the pulp is air and part of it in a mixture becomes superfluous and proceeds spontaneously phase of the solution in the gas phase, first in the form of tiny germ. This germ is energetically more advantageous form on a hydrophobic surface of the particles hydrophobized minerals by moving water molecules, loosely coupled with the surface, without the high cost of energy. The formation of air cavities in the volume of water generated emitted by air, is much more energy costs for the gap strong linkages between polar molecules of water, the creation of these cavities in the form of bubbles. Therefore, first of all, there is a process of nucleation of bubbles of air on a hydrophobic surface hydrophobized minerals, due to much lower energy costs offset this surface loosely coupled with her water molecules. Almost all volume of the mixture of pulp with water occurs diffusion of air from a solution close to the surface hydrophobic particles in the volume of pulp. While the hydrophobic surface arise germs of bubbles, which grow due to the diffusion of air from the adjacent solution forming units particle-bubble. Described is carried out only in case if the prepared air-conditioned pulp is thoroughly mixed with water, each hydrophobic particle lay a layer air water phase. To do this, in the first independent claim is a distinctive and essential feature «... prepared conditioned slurry with particles elected minerals, thoroughly mix with air water at atmospheric pressure...». These units due to the small sizes have vanishingly low speed ascent. To increase the speed of their must be attached to the transport bubbles larger. Fortunately, sticking to the particles of air bubbles are ideal hydrophobic tabs, which easily stick large bubbles of air flotation sizes, created in . That is why in the first independent item entered the second distinctive and essential feature «with the subsequent processing of pulp current of air bubbles sizes.»

Sign the second dependent item formulated as: «the air is saturated with waste water from the tailings, cleansed from suspended particles». This paragraph makes clear that saturate the air is not clean water, and waste water is drained from the tailings containing the remains of flotation reagents harmful for the environment and, if this waste water is discharged into the environment without treatment, will suffer serious harm to the nature. Thus, resolve three tasks: 1 - protection of the environment, 2 - savings flotation agents through the use of their balance in wastewater and 3 - organization of recycling water supply, which sharply reduces the necessity of clean water.

Slight sign of the third dependent clause : a layer of foam on the surface of the slurry lessons particles elected minerals before dumping it in the unit washed with a small amount of water.» This feature is intended for removal from the froth layer mechanical trapped air bubbles from the pulp hydrophilic particles, that is necessary to improve the content of the selected components in concentrates received.

And, finally, the fourth dependent claim contains a slight sign indicating the minimal volume ratio water to a single volume of pulp, equal to not less than 0.1:1,0. This is based on the calculation that shows that after flotation in the pulp remains a concentration of air, exceeding 50% of its solubility in water at atmospheric pressure. In this case, the energy for education on the surface hydrophobic particles is even enough. This will allow more fully extract the specified components of the pulp. However, the gap intermolecular bonds during the formation of air bubbles in the water volume of this energy will not be enough. And the optimal ratio water of the pulp is determined experimentally obtained by maximizing behavior allocated components to change the ratio between water to the pulp.

In comparison with the classical method of flotation method of pressure head flotation is also based on the creation of pop-up aggregate particle - bubble. However, the principle of the creation of this unit is totally different.

But there is another, easier way: embryos bubbles can occur on a hydrophobic surface of the particles of minerals extracted in the pulp. In this case they will not have to break the strong ties of water molecules with each other, and simply move with the hydrophobic surface of the water molecules, which are poorly connected with the surface. From the energy point of view of the work performed by a germ of a bubble arising on a hydrophobic surface of the particle, and the subsequent growth of the bubble to the surface due to the diffusion of air from the adjacent supersaturated solution is incommensurably less than the work that takes on the appearance of the air bubble in water volume.

As is known, the resulting processes directed towards the least-cost energy. In this case, the appearance of germs of air bubbles on a hydrophobic surface becomes more preferable for energy costs. Therefore in this direction the process of separation of air from water, retention and growth of germs of the bubble in the hydrophobic surface of the hydrophobized particles elected minerals. This process of spontaneous fixing bubbles on the hydrophobic surface of the particles of selected minerals is essentially an elementary act of flotation, only created by another method, called «the method of pressure head flotation». The elementary act of flotation not depends on the size of hydrophobized particles, which can be as conventional flotation sizes and the size of sludge particles.

Pressure flotation, in principle, may last until the pulp remains free area of the hydrophobic surface and the remainder of the supersaturated air aqueous solution. Only in the waning square free hydrophobic surface of the particles of minerals can begin more energy-intensive process of formation of air bubbles in the volume of the aqueous phase of the pulp. In this regard, the process of mixing the air-conditioned slurry with water, air, should be careful that the resulting mixture water from a water phase of the pulp distributed throughout the volume of pulp. However, due to the small sizes of the resulting aggregates particle - bubble with vanishing small ascent rate, the pulp is necessary to carefully handle the flow of air bubbles transport dimensions.

The presence of the created units projections, in the form attached to the surface hydrophobic particles of air bubbles facilitates the consolidation of these units on the surface of transport bubbles. It is not excluded that the number of mini-units stipulated by the transport bubble, will be more than one.

The device is intended for the practical implementation of the method of extraction of selected minerals from the ore slurries pressure head flotation.

Common to all modern designs flotation machines is to use as a working tool of air bubbles generated in the ore pulp in one way or another.

As a rule, mineralization of these bubbles (slipanie them with hydrophobic particles of minerals) is carried out by direct collision of particles of minerals with bubbles. Educated units particle - bubble due to the density less than that of pulp, under the action of buoyancy floats on the surface of the pulp, forming foam layer. This layer is reset the unit, and the scant pulp chamber product is removed in the form of flotation tailings. To to bubbles stick particles elected minerals, their surface pre- special processing required , i.e. condition. The hydrophobic make particles elected minerals, and other particles in the pulp turned into hydrophilic - not , because they do not adhere to bubbles.

Classification of flotation machines mostly produce depending on the method of pulp aeration, by the method of dispersion of air in the volume of pulp. On this basis, the machines are subdivided into: mechanical where pulp mixing is done with a choke and dispersing the air, carried out the impeller (blade mixer) of various constructions; pneumatic, in which mixing and aeration pulp is carried out with compressed air supplied in the pulp through special nozzles or through the porous walls; , where the air is supplied from blowers, and pulp mixing and dispersion of the air is impeller; with or force of the air supply various hydraulic devices.

The greatest distribution was received mechanical, and pneumatic flotation machines.

Analogues of the proposed device are pneumatic flotation machines, among which are close analogs pneumatic machines of columned type. These machines represent a vertical column of a round or rectangular cross section. In them is air-conditioned and pulp is fed into the multi-cell flotation machine on a pipe, located slightly above the center of the column. [8].

At the bottom of the columns has a porous diffuser 4, coupled with a receiver 5 with compressed air. At the outlet of the column there is the outlet valve 6, regulating the level of pulp in the column, connected with the vent pipe 7, transporting depleted chamber product on the site. In the upper part of the column 1 socket 8 to remove the froth product and pipe clean water 9, which has in the column above the layer of foam 10 for washing foam.

Flotation machine works as follows:

The original ore pulp conditioned in the mixer 3 for hydrophobization of particles elected minerals for their flotation and particles remaining components to prevent their flotation. Air-conditioned pulp is fed through the tube 2 in camera . Here pulp particles move under the action of gravity down and met POPs up a stream of bubbles generated by the porous diffuser 4 at the bottom of the column, which is powered by compressed air from the receiver and 5. During the motion of particles pulp down they hit the ascending air bubbles and stick to them if they have a hydrophobic surface created in the mixer for particles of selected minerals. The rest of the particles with hydrophilic surface, do not stick to air bubbles, i.e. not floated and continue to move down. In contrast particles stuck with air bubbles form easy Assembly, which under the action of buoyancy floats on the surface of the pulp in a foamy layer. This layer is often polluted hydrophilic impurities, mechanical bubbles. These contaminants are diluted with a dedicated foam product with recoverable components of the concentrate.

To prevent this foamy layer, before dropping the pipe 8 washed with pure water from the pipes 9 10. Depleted chamber product drop through the valve 6, regulating the level of pulp in the column, pipe 7 carrying chamber product on the site or in another for the control of flotation.

The disadvantage of the majority of flotation columns and this, in particular, was the poor performance of the dispersant air installed on the bottom of the tower, which often get clogged particles pulp, or offered too large bubbles, bad small particles extracted minerals. Despite this column type have a number of advantages over other types of flotation devices. They are not elements, moving in abrasive environment, pulps, columns occupy several times smaller working area in comparison with other types of machines. They are relatively easily automated, have low metal intensity and economical in operation.

However, a significant factor use of this promising column type flotation devices was their relatively low private (operational) extraction. Realizing this, in 1993, after extensive research firm Svedala CIS (later MetsoMinezals) started production of dispersants on the patented technology MICROCEL TM [9]. Created dispersers new design - reactors-aerators, called static mixers, increased private extraction to a level comparable with . The use of modernized flotation columns MICROCEL TM allowed to increase the extraction of selected minerals and simultaneously improve the quality of the concentrate. In addition to this, there appeared the opportunity to dramatically increase the performance of flotation devices with a diameter columns, increased to 4.6 m

The distinctive characteristics of the created flotation devices MICROCEL TM, according to the owners of this technology include:

1. Dispersion of air on a very small bubbles up to 0.4 mm, which allows removing particles of minerals small classes [but not fine particles].

2. Dramatically increases the degree of interactions of particles with bubbles - elementary act of flotation, which occurs in statistical mixers.

3. The strengthening of interaction between particles of minerals with due to the work of existing recirculation pump.

4. Static mixers allow you to control the size of created bubbles in the range of 1.2 to 0.4 mm when the number of working mixers simple them .

According to the authors, enhanced flotation columns MICROCEL™ successfully operated on the leading enterprises of the world.

In Russia the official partner of the company (MetsoMinerals) is firma LLC », which distributes in the Russian Federation flotation columns MICROCEL TM and their implementation on enterprises.

Proceeding from the fact that the existing structures flotation devices this column machine by the majority of characters coincides with the device to be submitted by the us patenting, we accepted it as a prototype and here is its description.

The flotation machine column type MICROCEL TM is shown in Fig. 2. This machine includes building 11, pipe supply, air-conditioned pulp 12, located above the middle column, air ring collector 13 in the bottom of the column, static mixer-disperser air 14, connected with air ring manifold 13, recirculation pump 15, discharge of which is connected with ring manifold 16. In the upper part of the column socket 17 to exit froth product, pipe 18 for supplying clean water to which inside the column attached spray (you can't see them), washing water layer of foam. At the bottom of the column are shut off valves 19 each static mixer to enable the work of the mixer to change the size of the bubbles. In the upper part of the column there is a power management level pulp 20 in the column, coupled with relief valve pulp 21.

This device works as follows:

Air conditioned, pulp, which is served from the mixer (not shown in the figure), where the ore pulp is processed for hydrophobization of surfaces of particles elected minerals, served in the socket 12. Pulp is distributed pipe section flotation and is moving down. Meet her, rising flow of air bubbles generated static mixers-dispersants 14. The hydrophobic particles of minerals, having inertia fall, hit the rising bubbles, punch the hydrate shell, reaching a coverage area forces are attracted to the bubble, making the elementary act of flotation. The smaller the particle, which still has inertia, the smaller should be the bubbles produced static mixers. To a certain extent, the design mixers-dispersants can reduce the size of bubbles up to 0.4 mm with static mixers 14. This allows particles up to 0,05 mm But with diminution of the size of particles up to 0.05 mm and less they are almost and unable to break through the hydrate shell when confronted with air bubbles, so such particles of minerals unable to perform the elementary act of flotation and . But large and small hydrophobic particles of minerals, able to adhere to air bubbles, under the action of buoyancy rise up in foam layer on the surface of the pulp. When lifting received in the pulp units particle - bubble, they, to some extent, mechanical and capture the hydrophilic impurities, carrying them in a foamy layer. Therefore, in column operation washing foam layer on the surface of the pulp clean water. For this pipe 18 serves clean water, which with the help splashed it washes and, to a certain degree, removes from the froth layer captured impurities. Washed foam poured over the threshold, it follows from the socket 17 and sent for dewatering and drying to produce concentrate of selected minerals. In the course of work required to maintain a stable level of pulp in the chamber, this is done using the control unit level pulp 20, associated with relief valve cell product 21. Practically, block 20 agrees a discharge flow air-conditioned pulp chamber with the volume of product, discharged from the flotation columns. As stipulated in recirculation pump allows repeated flotation to produce the same amount of pulp, fulfilling the function of the control flotation cell product (flotation tailings). For this when the pump pulp is sucked out of space under static mixers, where are practically flotation tails, and is channeled through the discharge pipe in ring collector 16. From this pulp collector through the existing holes in it distributed evenly layer of pulp over generators bubbles 14 and secondary processed flow of bubbles, for flotation hydrophobic particles.

The disadvantage of this flotation tank column type is its inability to extraction of thin particles of minerals from the ore pulp.

The proposed us extraction device elected minerals from the ore slurries pressure flotation uses famous saturator water air at high pressure [5], pin Chan-mixer slurry [8, .145] and the above column presented in figure 2.

Saturator wastewater is presented in Fig. 3. It consists of a body 22, the inlet pipe waste water 23, connected through the valve flow rate of sewage water 24, flow meter of waste water 25, United with air supply, consisting of valve air flow 26 and air meter 27. The mixture of water with air pipe is connected with a suction pump 28 rotor type, which is connected to an outlet branch pipe with a suction nozzle of the pump- 29, also rotor type. Discharge pump - is connected with the pressure regulator valve 30 type of safety valve. Regulator output pressure connected with a pipe filing water 31.

Waste water flows through a pipe 23 24 valve, regulating the flow of water supplied by the indication of the flow meter 25 of the waste water. The water supply system is connected with the system of supply atmospheric air consisting of valve 26 regulating submission of atmospheric air in the incoming waste water is rendering air meter 27. The ratio between the amount of air supplied and coming volume of waste water is determined solubility of air in water at a given temperature and pressure generated by the pump-. So, for example, at temperature plus 25 C and a pressure of 0.6 MPa ratio of air to water should be no more than 120 DM 3 on 1 m 3 of water to avoid deterioration of the pump. Water mixture with the air flowing into the suction pipe of the pump 28, mixed rotor pump, where the air is partially soluble in water. Then this mixture enters into the suction pipe of the pump- 29, where the pump rotor is actively stirred the mixture of water with air and simultaneously increases the pressure of the mixture to the value of the adjustable pressure regulator, for example, to a pressure of 0.6 MPa. At intensive hashing of a mixture of water with air-rotor pumps, while increasing the pressure, there is a rapid transition of air from the gas phase into the phase of its solution in water in the process of passage of the mixture of air with water through the two pumps. Received water from the control valve pressure 30 under the pressure of flows to the pipe 31 carrying this water to the place of its consumption.

Figure 4 is presented pin Chan-mixer slurry . Contact Chan has a cylindrical body 33, which is equipped with a pipe 32 filing of a mixture of original pulp with . In the center of the tube is fixed shaft 34 agitator axial type 35, which are located in a hollow tube with 36 holes 37. Val 34 is equipped with an electric motor, 38 pin Chan is supplied at the top of the drain pipe 39 for transportation of finished air-conditioned pulp in a flotation machine.

Contact Chan-mixer works as follows.

The initial mixture of pulp with a metered flows to the pipe 32, which is poured into the hollow tube 36. When the shaft 34 articulated it stirrer 35 axial type moves pulp up a hollow tube 36, and pulp flows out of the holes 37. Then stirrer 35 pulp is fed back up and pours out of the holes 37 in the cavity of the VAT. During several cycles flotation reagents fixed to the surface of selected minerals, their surface. As such conditioning pulp into a VAT filled with new portions of pulp, which displace the finished pulp, pouring over the threshold of the discharge into the pipe 39, from where it is transported in .

The proposed device, for practical implementation of the above described way of extraction of selected minerals from the ore slurries pressure flotation, presented in figure 5. This device includes a known pneumatic flotation machine column type, presented in figure 1 and 2, saturator water air under pressure, presented in figure 3, and the famous pin Chan-mixer slurry presented in figure 4.

Final technical result of the proposed device for the practical implementation of the method of extraction of minerals from the ore slurries pressure flotation is the following:

1. Thorough mixing of the air-conditioned slurry with water, air, providing a mixture of aqueous phase of pulp with water adjacent to the hydrophobic particles in the whole volume of pulp.

2. The second effect is the dramatic increase in speed ascent formed particle - bubble with vanishingly small speed.

Getting these technical results provide the following distinctive essential features of the fifth independent item:

1. Known pneumatic column type is supplied at the entrance to her, air-conditioned pulp, a jet mixer of the slurry with water, under the pressure of the air, followed by an additional mixing mixer.

2. To increase the speed of ascent formed particle - bubble resulting mixture of pulp with water is processed by a thread transport bubbles in using tubular perforated distributor of the mixture over the flow of transport bubbles. This dual stirring the mixture, air-conditioned slurry with water, under the pressure of the air and provides the formation of macro - and particle - bubble in the whole volume of pulp processing this pulp mixture flow transport of bubbles in the middle part of the flotation chamber leads to attach these units to transport bubbles, issuing them to the surface of the pulp in the foam layer.

In the sixth paragraph, dependent on the fifth, indicated a slight sign of clarifying the structure of the jet mixer, which represents a ring pipe on the inside of which there are fixed expanding nozzles with a slope in the direction of rotation of the pulp mixture in a ring and a pipe supply to the ring water at a pressure of .

The dependent item 8 indicates a slight sign of clarifying that for a greater intensity of the jets water coming out of the nozzle, it is necessary that the sum of squares of the gaps in these nozzles was smaller cross-sectional area of the pipe inlet water to these nozzles.

The dependent item 9 clarifies insignificant topic on the device shelf mixer, which consists of metal shelves, stipulated by the frame under the angle of 45 degrees with a variable inclination shelves each other. Such structure of this mixer increases the degree of mixing of the mixture of pulp with water thanks to the zig-zag movement pulp with the aqueous phase the water from which the allocated excess of dissolved air in the form of germs of bubbles, the hydrophobic surface of the particles of selected minerals with the formation of elementary act of flotation.

And, finally, in the tenth dependent claim to be confirmed slight sign, which consists in the fact that for the better touch formed particle - container transportation by air bubbles generated in the lower part of the flotation dispenser mixture of pulp with water supplied in is in the form of a tubular ring with a diameter of 1.5-2 times smaller diameter flotation, the cavity of which is connected by the diameter of the cut perforated pipes. The entire lower side of this design perforated holes twice as large particles pulp, with an inclination of holes in different directions.

Such a construction of the distributor pulp provides uniform distribution of pulp mixture over the flow of transport bubbles that intensifies the meeting educated particle - bubble with transport bubbles s) making these units on the surface of the pulp in a foamy layer, i.e. the separation of particles from accompanying impurities.

For explanations of the material application attached the following figures demonstrate the known devices used for the operation of the proposed device, and the device itself:

Fig 1. Pneumatic column type (General view).

Figure 2. Advanced column brand «-TM».

Figure 3. Known saturator waste water.

Figure 4. Famous pin Chan-mixer slurry .

Figure 5. The design of the offered device for the practical implementation of the method of extraction of selected minerals from the ore slurries pressure head flotation.

Figure 6: a) jet mixer (.41); b) housing jet mixer (.55) with flanges.

Fig.7. Circular perforated dispenser pulp mixture with water flotation cell (bottom view).

Fig.8. Laboratory pneumatic column type.

The proposed device intended for the practical implementation of the above-described method of enrichment of ores of pressure head flotation includes known pneumatic column type, presented in figure 1 and 2, known saturator water air under pressure, presented in figure 3, and the famous pin Chan-mixer slurry described above.

Figure 5 shows the structure of the proposed device. This device contains a cylindrical body 40, jet mixer 41 for mixing air-conditioned pulp of the tub-faucet (figure 4) with water, air under pressure in the famous (figure 3). Jet mixer 41 connected with mixer 42, which is connected to the inlet of the column with a perforated distributor 43 mixture of pulp with water in over the stream of bubbles generated by the dispenser 44 in the bottom of the column, is fed by compressed air from the receiver 45. At the top of the column is supplied with pipe 47, supply clean water in a spray 48, whose waters irrigate foam layer 46 on the surface of the pulp, which is dumped into the foam chamber 49, of which the foam product is removed from the tube reset 50. In , at the level of the surface of the pulp sensor installed 51 provisions pulp level associated with the 53-level management of the pulp, which is associated with valve 52 reset cell product. 6,and shows a cut of the jet mixer 41, consisting of a ring pipe 54, on the inner side of which there are fixed expanding nozzles 56 with inclination of 45 degrees ring pipe 54 is connected to a pipe 58, giving water from pipes 31 (see figure 3). Ring pipe 54 jet mixer (see figure 6,a) is fixed in the cylindrical housing 55 with flanges (see figure 6,b), by which the building 55 is connected through a sealing layer 60 with the top pipe 58, giving conditioned pulp from the drain pipe 39 contact Chan-mixer (see figure 4), and low flange building 55 is connected through a sealing layer 60 with a pipe 59, in which establishes the shelf mixer 42. Pipe 59 mixer 42, consisting of metal shelves, stipulated by the frame with a variable inclination 45-50° to each other, connected with perforated distributor 43 mixture of pulp with water, located in the center of flotation over the flow of air bubbles created by the dispenser air 44 (see figure 5). This dispenser pulp mixture is represented by figure 7 (bottom view). It consists of a ring pipe 61, the inner cavity of which is connected by the diameter of the ring cut perforated tube-62. The lower side of the pipe distributor, as seen in figure 7, perforated holes with a diameter of 2.5-3 mm, sufficient for the passage of particles pulp.

The diameter of the pipe ring 61 is 0,5-0,7 diameter columns that is enough to hold the distributor over the flow of air bubbles in the Central part of the square cross-section of the column.

The proposed device operates as follows.

The pulp is processed in contact VAT-mixer (figure 4), where the particles are elected minerals gain a hydrophobic surface, and the rest of the particles pulp increase the opposite is the hydrophilic properties, i.e. to create the conditions under which air bubbles will stick only to hydrophobic particles elected minerals and have put them on the surface of the pulp, and the rest of the hydrophilic particles, do not stick to bubbles remain in the pulp, which after the flotation of the hydrophobic particles elected minerals dumped on the tailings dam and from the froth product receive concentrate elected minerals. After such conditioning pulp comes from the drain pipe 39 contact Chan (see figure 4) in the pipe 58 (figure 6,b)supplying jet mixer 41 (figure 5), air-conditioned pulp. As the leading pipe 57 ring pipe 54 mixer (figure 6,a) comes under the pressure of water from the output pipe 31 (figure 3) with a flow rate of less than 0.1 m 3 1 m 3 of the pulp and this water rushes from expanding nozzles 56 (6) to the flow of the air-conditioned pulp in the housing 55 jet mixer 41. Under the influence of these jets pulp flow twists and jet water process rotary pulp flow from all sides and into the stream.

The intensive interaction of the flow of pulp with jets water dramatically increases their mixing. The resulting mixture of pulp with water enters the shelf mixer 42. Here this mixture provides zigzag movement, pouring from shelf to shelf that extends its path and contribute to a better mixing of water with pulp. Through this intensive mixing water mixes well with the aqueous phase of the pulp and is adjacent to the the surface of the particles of selected minerals in the whole volume of pulp. As a result of this proximity air aqueous phase to hydrophobic surfaces of particles excess air from the phase of the solution starts spontaneously (spontaneously) to move into the gas phase in the form of germs of bubbles on these hydrophobic surfaces. These bubbles energetically advantageous to sit on a hydrophobic surface of the particles, easily sliding her water molecules, loosely connected with the surface than the form in the amount of water the air cavity through the gap quite strong ties polar water molecules with each other.

Downside of this distributor, turned towards the stream of bubbles, perforated multidirectional holes with a diameter of 1.5-2 times the maximum particle size of the pulp.

Such structure of the distributor pulp lets get directional jets supplied to the pulp mixture that increases the probability of encounters input jets pulp with transport bubbles.

The experiment is created in a lab pneumatic flotation column type with a diameter of 1 DM (0.1 m) and height of 16 DM (1.6 m), presented at Fig.8, using a sample of old tailings -gravitational processing of sulphide gold ores of the Alexander deposits on concentrating factory of Transbaikalia.

1. Equipment: laboratory pneumatic column type, presented in Fig.8.

equipped with successive jet (41) and (42) mixers, air-conditioned pulp supplied in (40). In addition, the column is connected with a mixer ore slurry (62) and with water air under pressure (63). Disperser (44), installed in the bottom of the columns used in the form of an aquarium aerator (66), equipped with regulating valve (68). Rinsing the foam layer (46) on the surface of the pulp was running water from a plastic tube (47) with (48) and equipped valve (67), regulating the flow of water from water-pipe system. Regulation of the level of the pulp produced using siphon system (65) reset cell product in process of receipt of the air-conditioned pulp through a system of ink-jet and shelf mixers. Supply air-conditioned pulp was carried out from the mixer slurry with reagents 0.6 m 3 , supplied with a mixer, the hose equipped with a regulating valve flow of the pulp (62), stop valve (62A).

2. Air conditioning pulp .

Air conditioning pulp produced in a mixer with a capacity of 0.6 m 3 , supplemented by a propeller stirrer.

Conditioning used the following flotation reagents:

2.1 potassium Butyl xanthate, 2nd grade (85% aqueous solution with consumption 150 g/t) in the form of 5%working solution.

2.2 Reagent THEM-50 (hydroxamic acid C 7 O 8 ), trade 7%-9% water solution of sodium salts of acids. Working solution - 2% aqueous solution. Combined THEM-50-90 a 100%product per 1 ton of solid.

2.3 Pine oil (alcohol mixture of terpene line with aromatic hydrocarbons). The main component . Consumption - 80 g/T.

3. Carrying out of process of enrichment at the laboratory unit.

3.1 Composition of old tailings factory (see table 1,2).

Sieve analysis the old tailings

Size classes, mm

Class output, %

The results of the phase analysis of old tailings

The content of gold

In intergrown pieces

In sulfides

16.28 per

In quartz

Source tails

As seen from table. 1, the bulk of the particles in the old tailings represented by a class size less than 0.04 mm - 49,73% and 0,074 mm -31,21%.

The main form of the presence of gold in the old tailings, according to the table. 2: gold in free form - 41,86%, intergrown pieces - 27,91% and in sulfides - 16.28 per that total more than 86%. The share of gold extracted in flotation.

In the quartz, in proc gold can be extracted in part, if the share of its free surface is significant.

Thus, the amount of gold recovery old tailings, particles of which 50%, according to the table. 1, less than 0.04 mm is about 90%. This gold belongs to the very subtle class size, gold which classical flotation is not retrieved.

3.2 Composition of the air-conditioned pulp.

It was cooked 600 DM 3 (0.6 m 3) - condensing pulp composition 40% solid and 60% of the liquid phase. Pulp density was 1380 kg/m 3 . According to available data, the content of gold used in the old tailings is - 0.43 grams per ton

On this basis, in 1 m 3 of cooked pulp solid phase contains, at a density of 1380 kg/m 3 and phase relations - 40% solid 60% liquid:

In this mass of tails (containing - 0,43 g/t AU) gold is

3.3 the Settings of the flotation process:

- speed of submission of pulp in was V=1.2 cm/s;

- combined air-conditioned pulp amounted Q=0.1 DM 3 /sec;

- air supply to the disperser amounted to - (0,2-0,3) DM 3 /sec;

- water supply for leaching froth product was

- 2,8 dm3 /min or 141 dm3 /h;

- submission of water jet mixer was - (36-50) dm3 /h

Floatation was conducted within 1.5 hours. During this time, through was missed 540 DM 3 air-conditioned pulp from the mixer, which contained 300 kg of solid phase. When conducting flotation were selected middle two samples: one of the incoming air conditioned pulp, in the second - of the discharged cell product (waste pulp). Samples were filtered through the filter of «red tape» ( paper filter), dried and are conducting assay analysis for the establishment of the content of gold. According to the assay analysis, a sample of dried sludge original air conditioned pulp was found 0.44 g/t of gold, and in the dried sample waste pulp chamber product) was discovered (0,049-0,050) g/t residual gold. According to this data, extraction of gold amounted to 0.44 g/t - 0,049 g/t=0,391 g/t, which is 88,86% from 0.44 g/t of maximum possible amount of extraction of thin size class.

In the flotation was obtained concentrate of gold, washed and dried foam product. The mass of this concentrate was - 17 kg In relation to the original mass of old tailings contained in the revised volume of pulp (540 DM 3 ) - 300 kg, the output of the concentrate is to 5.7%. Dried sample of this concentrate was sent to perform the assay analysis. According to the assay analysis, in this sample was found to 6.5 g/t gold. When the content of gold in the source tails - 0.44 g/ton, degree of concentration of gold in concentrate amounted to 6.5 g/t/0.44 g/t=14,8 times.

When this concentrate pressure flotation improvement of the content of gold in the received concentrate, presumably, may increase in the same time, for example, 14 times, and then the gold content in the concentrate will increase up to 90 g/T. Received be stored and periodically , directing tails regrinding in primary floatation to the goal of achieving the required level of gold content in the commodity product.

As is known, all the gravitational and flotation beneficiation of ores are based on the use of kinetic component.

During gravitational enrichment, this kinetic component is expressed in the motion of the particles of minerals, dependent on their density and speed of movement.

In the case of flotation enrichment of this kinetic component is expressed in an inertial motion hydrophobized particles of minerals in the implementation of the elementary act flotation - the impact of an air bubble and sticking with it.

In all these cases, the decisive role played by the size of the mineral particles. When decreasing the size of particles is reduced their kinetic component particles become stiff and unable to perform elementary act of flotation, resulting floatability of such particles, with equal other conditions, disappears, enrichment such pulps stops.

A prominent scientist and geologist Nikolai Alekseevich Shilo, who devoted his years of research to the study of a variety of placers, including gold alluvial deposits in Yakutia, in the monograph [10] reports that in Yakutia distributed ancient alluvium, placers containing large deposits of gold thin class size «...However, their intelligence, and, especially, the development is possible only upon availability of advanced technologies. Without solving this problem, the entire district, where the focus placers containing a subtle gold reserves which can be evaluated hundreds of tons, can not be put into industrial turnover...»

We believe that the proposed technical solution can be considered as «advanced technology»required for the development of these ancient alluvial deposits in Yakutia (and not only)containing a subtle gold particles and other minerals, as the lower limit of the size of particles is not limited to our technical solution.

The list of positions of the figures:

Fig 1. Pneumatic column type:

1 - body

2 - pipe power conditioning pulp

3 - pin Chan-mixer slurry

4 - porous diffuser dispersion of air

5 receiver compressed air

6 - outlet valve discharge cell product (pulp level control) «

7 - pipe for discharge cell product in the reservoir

8 - a branch pipe for discharge of foam product

9 - pipe for supplying clean water

10 - spray for washing pen

Figure 2. Pneumatic column brand «-TM:

11 - body

12 - pipe power conditioning pulp

13 - air ring collector

14 - static mixer-disperser

15 - recirculation pump

16 - pulp ring collector

17 - socket reset foam product

18 - pipe supply of clean water

19 - off valve static mixers

20 control unit level pulp

21. - relief valve cell product (flotation tailings)

Figure 3. Saturator waste water:

22 - housing

23 - pipe waste water

24 - valve flow of waste water

25 meter of waste water

26 - valve air flow

27 - air mass meter

28 - suction pump

29 - pump-saturator

30, valve of pressure regulator

31 - pipe water

Figure 4. Contact Chan-mixer slurry :

32 - pipe marching pulp with

33 - cylindrical body Chan

34 - shaft

35 - axial type agitator

36 - hollow tube

37 - holes in the pipe

38 - motor

39 - the outlet pipe of the air-conditioned pulp

Figure 5. Device for extraction of thin fractions of selected minerals from the ore slurries pressure flotation:

40 - housing column machines

41 - jet mixer slurry with water

42 - shelf mixer

43 - dispenser pulp mixture with water in the volume of pulp

44 - disperser air at the bottom of the flotation chamber

45 receiver with compressed air

46 - layer foam

47 - pipe with clean water

48 - spray for washing foam

49 - unit

50 - vent pipe foam 51.- level sensor pulp

52 - relief valve cell product

53 management unit level pulp

6. Jet mixer:

54 - ring pipe

55 - body jet mixer

56 - expanding nozzles

57 - supply pipe water

58 - pipe air-conditioned pulp

59 - pipe shelf mixer

60 - seal gasket between flanges

Fig.7. Dispenser pulp mixture of flotation cell pos.4(in terms of the bottom side of the distributor):

61 - holes in the pipe distributor pulp mixture diameter 3,0 mm R 1 - diameter of the ring valve discharge cell product - diameter column Ratio R 2 R 1 =1,5-2,0

Fig.8. Laboratory column and its equipment:

62 - mixer slurry reagents (and being a stop - valve b-regulating valve)

63 - saturator

64 = compressor

65 - relief device cell product

66 - aquarium aerator

67 - valve regulation of submission of wash water

68 - air supply control valve

62(a) - shutoff valve for pulp

62(b) - valve regulating submission of pulp.

List of literature

1. Abramov A.A. Flotation beneficiation. A textbook for students of call on a speciality «Enrichment of minerals».- M: Nedra, 1984. 383 C.

2. Pauling, Peter Pauling. Chemistry. Lane. from English. Century Sakharov. Ed. M M - M: Mir, 1978, .246.

3. Kireev Vladimir Alexandrovich Course of physical chemistry. M., GOS. scientific and Techn. Izd-vo Khimich. literature, 1955, .389.

4. Patent №2155716. Publ. 16.09.2000, bul. №25.

5. Patent # 87159 for a utility model. Publ. 27.09.2009, bul. №27.

6. VA, Klassen V.I. Flotation beneficiation M, Nedra, 1981

7. Klassen V.I., Mokrousov V.A. Introduction to theory of flotation. M., , 1959

8. Shalaev VP principles for enrichment of minerals. Admitted Min. higher and middle. spec. education of the USSR as a textbook for students of higher educational institutions on a speciality «Economy and organization of mining industry». M., Nedra, 1986,120-page

9. Web site: .

10. Shilo N.A Doctrine of placers. Theory ore formations and placers. Vladivostok, , 2002, page 473

1. Method of extraction of selected minerals from the ore slurries pressure flotation, which includes the processing of pulp for hydrophobization of surfaces of particles elected minerals, the saturation of water with air under pressure, wherein prepared conditioned pulp, thoroughly mix with air water at atmospheric pressure and the mixture of pulp with water is treated by a current of air bubbles flotation sizes.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the air is saturated with waste water from the tailings, cleansed from suspended particles.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that layer of foam on the surface of the slurry lessons particles elected minerals before discharge washed with a small amount of water.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the volume ratio water to pulp when their displacement may not be less than 0.1:1.

5. Device for extraction of selected minerals from the ore slurries pressure flotation includes pneumatic flotation machine column type, mixer source of pulp with and saturator water air under pressure, characterized in that column at the entrance to her, air-conditioned pulp, is equipped with a jet mixer slurry with water, air under pressure, and consistently with him mixer, but the camera fixed perforated dispenser supplied to the pulp mixture over the flow of air bubbles generated at the bottom of the flotation chamber.

6. Device according to claim 5, wherein the jet mixer includes a circular pipe with expanding nozzles mounted on the inner surface of the ring with a slope in the direction of rotation of the pulp mixture, and a pipe supply to the ring pipe water, air under pressure.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein the ring pipe is fixed in the cylindrical insert with flanges, with the help of which the box is connected to a pipe, the supply air conditioned pulp, and consistently with mixer.

8. The device according to claim 6, wherein the sum of the areas of openings of all nozzles, stipulated by the circular pipe should be smaller cross-sectional area of the pipe inlet water to a circular pipe.

9. Device according to claim 5, wherein the shelf mixer consists of metal shelves, enshrined in the frame at an angle of 45-50° with a variable inclination to each other.

10. Device according to claim 5, wherein the perforated dispenser pulp mixture is supplied to the camera , has a circular shape with a diameter of one and a half to two times smaller than the diameter of flotation and cut perforated pipes connecting the diameter of the internal cavities of the ring.