Mineral recovery using hydrophobic polymer surfaces

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10751693-B2
Application number	US-201515311932-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 1, 2015
Priority date	May 22, 2012
Publication date	Aug 25, 2020
Grant date	Aug 25, 2020

Abstract

Apparatus or recovering a mineral particle of interest from a slurry in a mineral extraction process, featuring a core or substrate; and multiple layers arranged on the core or substrate, each layer of the multiple layers configured with a respective outer surface having a plurality of molecules attached thereto, the molecules comprising a functional group selected for attracting and attaching one or more mineral particles of interest to the molecules. Each layer is made from a polymer having a thickness of less than or equal to about 125 microns. The polymer is selected from a group consisting of polydimethylsiloxane or dimethyl siloxane.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for recovering a mineral particle of interest from a slurry in a mineral extraction process, comprising:
a core or substrate; and
multiple layers arranged on the core or substrate, one layer disposed on top of another layer, each layer of the multiple layers configured with a respective outer surface having a plurality of molecules attached thereto, the molecules comprising a functional group selected for attracting and attaching one or more mineral particles of interest to the molecules.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said each layer is configured with a thickness of less than or equal to 125 microns.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said each layer is configured from a polymer.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the polymer is selected from a group consisting of polydimethylsiloxane or dimethyl siloxane.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the multiple layers are configured to encapsulate the core or substrate so as to form an engineered bead.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the multiple layers comprise a multi-layer shell, each layer having an outer surface made of a synthetic material comprising the molecules.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the synthetic material is selected from a group consisting of polyamides (nylon), polyesters, polyurethanes, phenol-formaldehyde, urea-formaldehyde, melamine-formaldehyde, polyacetal, polyethylene, polyisobutylene, polyacrylonitrile, poly(vinyl chloride), polystyrene, poly(methyl methacrylates), poly(vinyl acetate), poly(vinylidene chloride), polyisoprene, polybutadiene, polyacrylates, poly(carbonate), phenolic resin and polydimethylsiloxane.

8. Apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the core or substrate is selected from a group consisting of glass, ceramic, metal and a polymer that is different than the synthetic material.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the multiple layers are configured to lay on top of the core or substrate so as to form as a belt.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the multiple layers comprise a multi-layer belt, each layer having an outer surface made of a synthetic material comprising the molecules.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the synthetic material is selected from a group consisting of polyamides (nylon), polyesters, polyurethanes, phenol-formaldehyde, urea-formaldehyde, melamine-formaldehyde, polyacetal, polyethylene, polyisobutylene, polyacrylonitrile, poly(vinyl chloride), polystyrene, poly(methyl methacrylates), poly(vinyl acetate), poly(vinylidene chloride), polyisoprene, polybutadiene, polyacrylates, poly(carbonate), phenolic resin and polydimethylsiloxane.

12. Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the functional group has an anion for attracting the mineral particles of interest to the surface.

13. Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the functional group is a collector that is either ionic or non-ionic.

14. Apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the functional group is anionic or cationic.

15. Apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the anion comprises an oxyhydryl, including carboxylic, sulfates and sulfonates, and or a sulfhydral bond.

16. Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the functional group is configured to cause the surface to be hydrophobic.

17. Apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the surface is made of a polymer functionalized with the molecules so as to form a functionalized polymer surface, wherein the polymer is selected from a group consisting of polystyrene, poly(d,l-lactide), poly(dimethylsiloxane), polypropylene, polyacrylic, polyethylene, polysiloxanates, silicone alkyd copolymer, and fluoroalkylsilane.

18. Apparatus according to claim 1 , only said at least part of the surface is configured to have the molecules attached thereto, wherein the molecules comprise collectors.

19. Apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein another part of the surface is configured to be hydrophobic.

20. Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a part of the surface is configured to be hydrophobic.

21. Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises a primer layer arranged between the core or substrate and a first layer of the multiple layers.

Assignees

• Cidra Corporate Services Inc
• Cidra Corp Service Inc

Inventors

• Rothman Paul J
• Fernald Mark R
• O'Keefe Christian V
• Adamson Douglas H

Classifications

• C02F2103/10

  from quarries or from mining activities · CPC title

• B01J20/262

  obtained otherwise than by reactions only involving carbon to carbon unsaturated bonds, e.g. obtained by polycondensation (macromolecular compounds obtained otherwise than by reactions only involving unsaturated carbon-to-carbon bonds per se C08G) · CPC title

• C02F2103/28

  from the paper or cellulose industry · CPC title

• B01J20/28004

  Sorbent size or size distribution, e.g. particle size · CPC title

• B01J20/261 Primary

  obtained by reactions only involving carbon to carbon unsaturated bonds (macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds per se C08F) · CPC title