Use of Polyols as Scale Control Reagents in the Mining Processes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016122196-A1
Application number	US-201614992382-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 11, 2016
Priority date	Nov 20, 2007
Publication date	May 5, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

In the mining process, linear, branched, hyperbranched or dendrimeric polyols or mixtures thereof are employed as process stabilization aids for aqueous solutions and, or suspensions of metal salts. A specific application area of the polyols is the stabilization of bauxite liquor in the Bayer process of producing alumina from bauxite.

First claim

1 - 24 . (canceled)

25 . A method of increasing stability of a pregnant liquor of a Bayer process comprising:
adding to the pregnant liquor of a Bayer process a linear or branched polyol having a molecular weight of from 500 to 1,000,000.

26 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the linear or branched polyol is at a concentration of no less than 0.1 ppm.

27 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the linear or branched polyol is a polyglycerol.

28 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the linear or branched polyol is in an amount of 0.1 to 100 ppm.

29 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the linear or branched polyol has a molecular weight of from 1,000 to 50,000.

30 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the linear or branched polyol contains 5 to 30 milliequivalents of hydroxyl units per gram of active polymer.

31 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the linear or branched polyol contains 8 to 18 milliequivalents of hydroxyl units per gram of active polymer.

32 . A pregnant Bayer liquor comprising a branched polyol having a molecular weight of from 500 to 1,000,000 at a concentration of at least 0.1 ppm.

33 . The pregnant Bayer liquor of claim 32 , wherein the branched polyol is a polyglycerol.

34 . The pregnant Bayer liquor of claim 32 , wherein the branched polyol is at a concentration of from 0.1 to 100 ppm.

35 . The pregnant Bayer liquor of claim 32 , wherein the branched polyol has a molecular weight of from 1,000 to 50,000.

36 . The pregnant Bayer liquor of claim 32 , wherein the branched polyol is synthesized via addition polymerization of glycidol.

37 . The pregnant Bayer liquor of claim 32 , wherein the branched polyol is a homopolymer.

38 . The pregnant Bayer liquor of claim 32 , wherein the branched polyol consists of a combination of multiple monomers.

39 . The pregnant Bayer liquor of claim 32 , wherein the branched polyol contains 5 to 30 milliequivalents of hydroxyl units per gram of active polymer.

40 . The pregnant Bayer liquor of claim 32 , wherein the branched polyol contains 8 to 18 milliequivalents of hydroxyl units per gram of active polymer.

41 . A pregnant Bayer liquor comprising a linear polyol having a molecular weight of from 500 to 1,000,000 at a concentration of at least 0.1 ppm.

42 . The pregnant Bayer liquor of claim 41 , wherein the linear polyol is a polyglycerol.

43 . The pregnant Bayer liquor of claim 41 , wherein the linear polyol is at a concentration of from 0.1 to 100 ppm.

44 . The pregnant Bayer liquor of claim 41 , wherein the linear polyol has a molecular weight of from 1,000 to 50,000.

Assignees

• Nalco Co

Inventors

• Wang Jing
• Li Xiaojin Harry
• Bode Heinrich Enoch

Classifications

• C02F1/54

  using organic material · CPC title

• C01F7/0646

  Separation of the insoluble residue, e.g. of red mud · CPC title

• C01F7/47

  of aluminates, e.g. removal of compounds of Si, Fe, Ga or of organic compounds from Bayer process liquors · CPC title

• C22B21/0015

  by wet processes (C22B21/02, C22B21/04 and C22B21/06 take precedence) · CPC title

• C22B1/00

  Preliminary treatment of ores or scrap · CPC title