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By D. A. Elgillani, M. C. Fuerstenau, J. D. Miller

Adsorption of lead and ferric iron on quartz and alumina is presented as a function of pH. Only the hydrolyzed species of these metal ions, FeOH++ and PbOH+, adsorb significantly on each of these minerals. Zeta potentials of quartz were measured as a function of pH in the presence of various additions of aluminum, lead, and magnesium salts. Sign reversal occurs at the pH values where significant concentrations of hydroxy complexes are formed. Models of adsorption are presented in the absence and presence of collector. The mechanism of adsorption of metal and collector species in the activation of nonmetallic minerals is still the center of considerable discussion in spite of the extensive study given this system. Until recently, the view was widely held that hydrated metal ions were responsible for this phenomenon. This fact is surprising, since it had been shown that the pH range in which flotation is effected corresponds to that in which metal ion hydrolysis occurs.' Additional support of this concept was pro vided by the work of Wolstenholme and Schulman in another system.' Later work has shown that hydroxy complexes of metal ions are the active species. These studies have also indicated that basic aqueous complexes of metal-collector may be necessary for flotation.3-7 Depending on the molecular weight of the collector, formation of these complexes may occur before or after precipitation of the metal-collector salt has occurred. Ion pair formation can occur when low molecular weight collectors are involved because relatively high concentrations of metal hydroxy complex and collector can be present in solution before precipitation occurs. This is not the case when high molecular weight collectors are used. A model of aqueous complex adsorption has been presented6,7 in which it has been assumed that adsorption occurs by the formation of water from adsorbed hydroxyl and hydrogen of the hydroxyl contained in the complex. Other authors8 have suggested that hy-droxy complexes are involved in these systems but that collector adsorption occurs by replacement of the hydroxyl of the adsorbed metal hydroxy complex with a fatty acid anion. All of these investigations have involved mineral surfaces that were negatively charged so that it is not possible to state with certainty whether hydrated metal ions or hydroxy complexes are the active species in this system. Use of a positively charged mineral should be helpful, however, since the hydrated metal ion will be repelled from this surface. On the other hand, if the hydroxy complex adsorbs by splitting out water, surface charge should have no effect because of the free energy decrease that the system will experience when water is formed. In this regard, sapphire is well-suited for study, since its surface is positively charged until approximately pH 9. Electrokinetic studies of quartz in the presence of various metal ions should also be useful in establishing the mechanisms of adsorption in these systems. That is, if the hydroxy complexes adsorb by water formation, drastic changes in the zeta potential should occur in the pH range in which hydrolysis occurs. In this view, adsorption of ions of widely different hydrolysis characteristics on both sapphire and quartz was measured. In addition, zeta potentials of quartz were measured as a function of pH in the presence of various metal ions and compared with flotation responses obtained under similar conditions. Experimental Materials and Techniques Reagent-grade aluminum, ferric and magnesium chlorides, and lead nitrate were used in this investigation. Adjustments in pH were made with reagent-grade HCl or KOH. Conductivity water, made by passing distilled water through an ion exchange column, was used in all of the experiments.

Jan 1, 1971

By D. L. Harris, A. M. Gaudin

Observations were made of the distribution of mercaptan containing S35 between aqueous solution and mineral and between aqueous solution and the gaseous phase. Although equilibrium may not have been attained, adsorption of the reagent was shown to occur reasily from air or aqueous solution on sphalerite, zincite, and willem-ite and to correspond to flotation. Adsorption on quartz did not similarly occur. THE following results, presented here in condensed form,' were obtained in a preliminary study of the adsorption of n-hexane thiol, hexyl mercaptan, on sphalerite, zincite, willemite, and quartz, from aqueous solution and from a gas. Interest in this subject was aroused by a Belgian report' of effective use of hexyl mercaptan for flotation collection of oxidized zinc minerals. The relatively low boiling point, 149°C, of the mercaptan3 suggested the desirability of extending the usual measurements of partition of collector between aqueous solution and gas and between gas and mineral. It is believed that this paper presents the first measurements of this type on a flotation system. Attempts were made to carry out the measurements at equilibrium, but as the work progressed it became increasingly doubtful that this desirable condition had been achieved. To control composition and extent of the gas phase, the apparatus was a wholly-enclosed thermally-controlled glass system. Because of these constraints and the desirability of dealing with pure minerals, a scale of operations was chosen in which a few grams of deslimed mineral were used in each test. It was also necessary to choose a particularly sensitive method for mercaptan analysis, and in fact a method that would permit the experimenters to follow the approach to equilibrium. For these reasons mercaptan marked by radiosulphur 35 was used. An analysis was made for the radiosulphur by a modification of the method of Gaudin and Carr. Coarsely-crystallized sphalerite was handpicked, stage-crushed in the dry state, wet-screened on a 200-mesh sieve, and deslimed in water at about 5 microns. Further treatment consisted of a wash in dilute aqueous hydrogen peroxide, drying, removal of the dark-colored fraction in a Frantz magnetic separator, washing in very dilute hydrochloric acid, repeated washing in distilled and conductivity water, and drying. The last washings showed a conductivity equivalent to a few ppm NaC1, that is, much more than would be provided, theoretically, by a saturated ZnS solution. The material was stored dry in sealed bottles. Analyses were as follows: Zn, 62.3 pct; Fe, 0.43 pct; Cd, 0.44 pct; S, 31.2 pct; Mn, 0.001 pct. The specific surface (BET method) was 2000 cm2/g. Zincite from Franklin furnace of the New Jersey Zinc Co. was hand-picked, dry-crushed, wet-screened at 100 mesh, and deslimed at about 10 microns. After drying, the associated zinc, manganese, calcium, and silicate minerals were removed in a Frantz magnetic separator. The purified zincite was washed in distilled water and conductivity water to a conductance of less than 2 ppm equivalent NaC1, dried, and stored. Analyses were as follows: Zn, 75.1 pct; Fe, 0.9 pct; Mn, 2.78 pct. The specific surface (BET method) was 1740 cm 2/g. Willemite, also from Franklin furnace, was purified similarly. Analyses were as follows: Zn, 52.5 pct; Fe, 0.12 pct; SiO², 27.3 pct; loss on ignition, 0.13 pct. The specific surface was 1760 cm 2/g. Conductivity water (double-distilled) and demin-eralized-distilled water were used in most of the tests. The specific resistance was not less than 600, 000 ohms, and usually above 1,000,000. Radiosulphur-marked hexyl mercaptan (1-hexane thiol) was synthesized by Tracerlab, Inc., Boston. Two lots were secured several months apart. The last lot, consisting of about 0.5 g of the mercaptan, had a total activity of about 10 millicuries. Tracerlab Co. guaranteed only the activity; hence a quasi -vapor pressure determination (based upon an S analysis) of the mercaptan was made. The calculated value, 4.2 mm of mercury at 25.5' C, has been compared with that of a sample of Highest Purity 1-hexane thiol from Fisher Scientific Co. The latter had a vapor pressure of 4.5 mm of mercury at 2.5 C. Analytical Procedures The sample containing radiosulphur-marked mercaptan was oxidized to convert the mercaptan sulphur to sulphate, carrier barium sulphate being added to provide a suitable quantity of total barium sulphate in a filter cake. The precipitate was filtered and dried, and counting was carried out either in a streaming-gas (Q-gas) counter for high sensitivity or with an end-window G-M counter for convenience. The oxidized and precipitated mercaptan gave a radioactive count of 65 counts per minute per microgram in the end-window Geiger-Mueller counter and 1100 counts per minute per microgram in a Q-gas counter. For standardization of the mercaptan solution, 15 replicate analyses were made. The average deviation per measurement was about 1600 cpm in 65,000 cpm, the probable error in the mean being 275 cpm. It

Jan 1, 1955

By S. R. B. Cooke, S. W. Clark

Adsorption of calcium and magnesium by quartz was determined over a wide pH range using flame photometry for solution analysis. A parallelism was noted between calcium adsorption at alkaline pH and flotation of activated quartz by means of various fatty acid collectors. Abstraction of calcium from 100 ppm solutions increased above pH 10.5 until all of the calcium was removed at pH values between 12 and 12.5. Calcium was desorbed from the quartz over the pH range 12.5 to 13.0 and returned to the solution. Precipitation of magnesium hydroxide prevented measurement of magnesium adsorption above a pH of 9.9. A calcium adsorption isotherm determined at pH 9 matched measurements of barium adsorption by other investigators over the range where adsorption corresponded to the equation of a Freundlich adsorption isotherm. In accordance with the Gouy-Chapman theory for adsorption in the diffuse layer, adsorption of the divalent cations under these conditions was four times the adsorption of monovalent sodium. Activation of quartz by multivalent metal cations in flotation using anionic collectors has been studied by many investigators. The occurrence of activator cations in the water of flotation mills makes depression of silaceous gangue very difficult. Alternatively, in some flotation systems it is practical to cause activation of quartz so that it is floated from the desirable mineral values. The present study was initiated to investigate the activation of quartz by measuring adsorption of calcium and magnesium ions as a function of solution pH. Early empirical tests showed that quartz would be activated to flotation using anionic collectors if any of a number of divalent or trivalent metallic cations were present in the pulp.1*2 Subsequent studies by Clemmer,3 Cooke and Digre,4 Cooke,5 Schuhmann and Prakash,6 and Cooke, Iwasaki, and Choi,7-8 showed that flotation depended strongly upon the alkalinity of the flotation pulp, the concentration of the activating cations, and the chain length and structure of the organic collectors used. The concept of the electrical double layer has been applied to the case of the quartz-aqueous solution interface by Gaudin and Fuerstenau,9-10 and by de Bruyn 11 to explain the activation of quartz by multivalent metal cations. Studies of the surface of quartz by Gaudin and Fuerstenau9,10,12 and by Li " using the streaming potential technique contributed much information on the electro kinetic condition of the surface of quartz in the presence of various organic and inorganic ions. Measurement of adsorption of ac-

Jan 1, 1969

By A. M. Gaudin, J. G. Morrow

FLOTATION requires the existence of a definite contact angle. This contact angle, the surface tension of the solution, and adsorption at the solid-fluid interface are quantitatively related. Adsorption of dodecylammonium acetate on hematite was measured for a wide range of concentrations of reagent in solution. Similar measurements for quartz have already been made. Contact angle measurements were then made on polished surfaces of hematite and of quartz immersed in aqueous dodecylammonium acetate solutions, and a functional relationship was sought between adsorption density at the mineral-solution interface and the contact angle. Finally, the surface tension of the aqueous amine acetate solutions was measured. These data were combined to give an evaluation of the work of adhesion for the three-phase system. Specular hematite was crushed and then ground dry in a laboratory porcelain mill, with flint pebbles, to pass a 200-mesh screen. The ground product was sized in a Haultain infrasizer, and one of the granular sizes (cone No. 3) was used in all adsorption tests. A hand magnet was used to remove magnetite and abraded iron. Quartz was removed in a Frantz isodynamic magnetic separator. The purified hematite was leached in aqua regia, washed with distilled water until the washings appeared free of electrolyte by conductance measurement, dried in a low-temperature oven, and stored in a pyrex container. The specific surface of the closely sized hematite was determined by the krypton gas adsorption method.' Three measurements gave an average value of 1350 sq cm per g. Chemical analysis showed Fe -69.37 pct, insol = 0.72 pct. The quartz used in the flotation tests had been prepared by Chang" for an earlier investigation. Demineralized distilled water was used for all test solutions. Dissolved salt content was of the order of 0.03 ppm, expressed in terms of sodium chloride, as estimated from conductance measurements. Dodecylammonium acetate was obtained from Armour & CO. in two forms, the unmarked compound and a preparation marked by carbon 14 in the hydrocarbon chain of the aminium ion. Specific activity of the active salt was 0.134 millicurie per g. The important physico-chemical constants for the primary amine salt have been reviewed by de Bruyn. The calculated effect of hydrolysis of amine salt on pH of aqueous solutions and the effect of pH on the distribution ratio of the alkylammonium ion to free amine are of particular interest. All other chemicals used in this investigation were of analytical reagent grade. A column method' was used for adsorption work. Attainment of equilibrium distribution in the adsorption column depends on the solid-solution contact time, hence upon the volume of solution passed. It was assumed that contact time required for equilibrium would be a maximum for the lowest reagent concentrations. On this premise it was demonstrated experimentally that the passage of 500 ml of solution through the mineral bed was adequate. An aliquot (1 to 5 cc) of the solution to be analyzed was transferred to a small pyrex cup and allowed to evaporate to dryness at room temperature; 4 or 5 mg of unmarked amine acetate were added to the dried sample and the cup and its contents were transferred to the combustion system for analysis. Evaporation at room temperature must be emphasized, as even slightly elevated temperatures result in loss of reagent. A laboratory model G Beckman pH meter equipped with a glass electrode was used to measure pH of amine acetate solutions. The technique of internal gas counting of radioactive carbon dioxide in a Geiger-Muller counter was used. Developed originally by Brown and Miller,- his method was adapted to the analysis of carbon-14 marked flotation reagents by Chang, de Bruyn, and Bloecher. nalytica1 method and procedures have been described in detail by Bloecher.' Contact angles were measured by the captive-bubble technique." The mineral specimens were carefully selected to avoid cracks and inclusions of other minerals. All specimens were mounted in plastic and polished to produce a smooth surface. The final polishing and contact-angle measuring

Jan 1, 1955

By O. Mellgren, A. M. Gaudin, P. L. De Bruyn

The adsorption density of ethyl xanthate on pyrite was determined as a function of xanthate concentration. Surface preparation of the mineral appears to have asafunctionsome effect on the subsequent adsorption process, A monolayer of xanthate on the surface is exceeded only in presence of oxygen. The effect of OH- , HS- (and x and CN- S=)and on the amount of xanthate adsorbed was investigated. Competition between OH- and X- (xanthate) ions for specific adsorption sites is indicated over a wide pH range. IN the flotation of sulfide ores, xanthates are most commonly used to prepare the surface of the mineral to be floated so that attachment to air takes place. The quantity of agent required to make the mineral hydrophobic is usually very small, of the order of 0.1 to 0.25 lb per ton of mineral. Details of the mechanism of pyrite collection are for the most part unsettled. Adsorption of collector has long been believed to involve an ion exchange mechanism as demonstrated for galena' and for chalcocite.2 In the work on chal-cocite it was also demonstrated that a film of xanthate radicals unleachable in solvents that dissolve alkali xanthates, copper xanthate, or dixanthogen was formed at the surface of the mineral. The unleachable product increased with increasing addition of xanthate up to a maximum corresponding to an oriented monolayer of xanthate radicals. Pyrite is extremely floatable with xanthate if its surface is fresh.9 ut the floatability decreases rapidly as oxide coatings increase in abundance. Pyrite shows zero contact angle when in contact with ethyl xanthate solution at pH higher than about 10.5;4 at neutrality, a contact angle of 60" is obtained at a reagent concentration of 25 mg per liter. Alkali sulfides and cyanides are pyrite depressants. In this study of pyrite collection the writers have sought to relate measured xanthate adsorption to the method used in preparing pyrite, to the presence or absence of oxygen, to concentration of hydroxyl, hydrosulfide, sulfide, and cyanide ions. The principal experimental tool has been radioanalysis," " using xanthatcx marked with sulfur 35. Experimental Materials Pyrite: Unlike most sulfides, pyrite is a poly-sulfide. The structure given by Bragg7 resembles that of sodium chloride, the iron atoms corresponding to the position of sodium and pairs of sulfur atoms corresponding to the position of chlorine. The edge of the unit cell in pyrite is 5.40 A and in halite 5.63 A. The S-S distance in pyrite is 2.10 A; the Fe-S distance, 3.50 A: and the Fe-Fe distance, 3.82 A. Natural pyrite from Park City, Utah, was used in this investigation. Pyrite 1 was obtained by hand picking pure crystals. Pyrite 2 and Pyrite 3 were obtained from finer textured crystalline material containing inclusions of silicates. The same cleaning technique was utilized for the preparation of Pyrite 2 and Pyrite 3, whereas a different cleaning technique was used for Pyrite 1. Pyrite 1 was prepared as follows: The crystals were ground in a porcelain ball mill and the 200/400 mesh fraction was separated by wet screening with distilled water, followed by washing for 1 hr with deoxygenated distilled water acidified with sulfuric acid to pH 1.5. The acid was removed by rinsing with deoxygenated distilled water on a filter until a pH of 6.0 was reached in the effluent. This filtration was carried out under nitrogen. The sample was then dried in a desiccator under nitrogen. The period of time for which this pyrite sample was in contact with water containing oxygen was about 4 hr. The specific surface as determined by the BET gas adsorption method was 582 cm2 per g. Final material assayed 53.12 pct sulfur and 46.5 pct iron (theoretical, for FeS,: S, 53.45 pct; Fe, 46.55 pct). After crushing, Pyrite 2 and Pyrite 3 were washed with 1 M HCl. rinsed, and fed to a laboratory shakinq table to remove the small amount of silicates. The concentrate obtained was ground in a laboratory steel ball mill. The 200/400 mesh fraction was separated by classification in a Richards hindered settling tube. This fraction was then given a final wash with 0.1 M HCl and deoxygenated water was filtered through the sample. The final effluent showed a conductivity equivalent to that of a solution having a salt concentration of 0.3 ppm. Aqueous hydrogen sulfide solution was then added to the sampln (about 100 ml saturated H,S solution to about 1000 g pyrite under a few hundred milliliters of water) which was stored wet under nitrogen. The sample stored in this manner showed no indication of formation of iron oxides, whereas iron oxides appeared

Jan 1, 1957

By O. Mellgren, A. M. Gaudin, P. L. De Bruyn

In the January 1956 issue: TP 4137B. Adsorption of Ethyl Xanthate on Pyrite. By A. M. Gaudin, P. L. de Bruyn, and Olav Mellgren. P. 65. Since P. L. de Bruyn is now a member of the AIME, the word "associate" should be removed in describing his status. The address of the third author, Olav Mellgren, should read: 74-2 Chingola, N. Rhodesia. P. 68, second paragraph, last line: the word "300-fold" should be replaced by "3000-fold." Also in the January 1956 issue: TP 4158B. Energy Transfer by Impact. By R. J. Charles and P. L. de Bruyn. The authors wish to express their disapproval of the omission of the abstract from the article, since they believe that an abstract fulfills a very important function in every paper.

Jan 1, 1957

By F. F. Aplan, P. H. de Bruyn

The adsorption density of hexyl mercaptan was measured at the gold-solution and the gold-vapor interfaces. This collector is strongly adsorbed at low concentrations, a monomolecular layer being formed at the gold-solution interface at concentrations as low as 2 x 10'6 moles per liter. A maximum contact angle of 83 ± 3° is observed. From a thermodynamic analysis of the experimental data the changes in surface tension at the gold-gas and gold-solution interface are calculated. The data also suggest that the adsorption density of mercaptan at the gold-gas interface exceeds that at the gold-solution interface. In the equilibrium state, a simple flotation system consists of three phases, the solid to be floated, air, and an aqueous solution in stable contact along a line. During the process leading to this final state, a solid-gas interface is created at the expense of a portion of the liquid-gas and solid-liquid interfaces. This change of state is achieved by addition of a collector and, if necessary, suitable modifying agents to the system. By a combined application of the Gibbs Adsorption and the Young Equations, de Bruyn, Overbeek and Schuhmannl were able to show theoretically that the equilibrium distribution of the collector at all three interfaces determines the magnitude of the contact angle. Their analysis led them to conclude that the equilibrium adsorption density of the collector at the solid-gas interface exceeds its density at the solid- liquid interface. This paper succeeded in focussing attention on the neglected role of the solid-gas interface in flotation. In recent years the application of radiotracer, infrared, electrochemical and electro-kinetic techniques to studies of the solid-liquid interface2-5 enhanced our understanding of adsorption processes at this interface. Except for the measurement of contact angles, the solid-gas interface received no attention in fundamental flotation studies. In an attempt to apply the analysis of de Bruyn, Overbeek and Schuhmann to a simple flotation system, an investigation of the adsorption of hexyl mercaptan onto gold was undertaken. Gold was chosen as the solid phase in order to keep the number of dissolved chemical species in the solution phase to a minimum. Hexyl mercaptan (1 - hexanethiol) was selected as collector because its relatively high vapor pressure at room temperature makes it possible to obtain adsorption measurements at the solid-gas interface. This flotation system consists, therefore, of a pure solid phase (gold), an aqueous solution of a weakly dissociated collector (1 -hexanethiol), and a gaseous phase, nitrogen saturated with respect to both water vapor and mercaptan vapor. EXPERIMENTAL MATERIALS AND METHODS Materials: Liquid 1-hexanethiol (C6H13SH) was obtained from Distillation Products Industries and was further purified by double distillation. The purity of the final product was established by boiling point and refractive index measurements. For the adsorption studies from aqueous solution, the radiotracer element, sulfur-35, (half life 87.1 days, 0.169 Mev beta ray) was synthesized into the mercaptan by Tracerlab Inc., Boston, Mass. A close boiling fraction of the synthesized compound was used in the adsorption studies. The specific activity of the radioactive compound was 10 millicuries per gram.

Jan 1, 1963

By H. R. Spedden, A. M. Gaudin, M. P. Corriveau

A preliminary study of silver ion adsorption by sphalerite in ion exchange column with influent electrolyte marked with radiosilver is described. Rapid ion exchange occurs at first followed by slow reaction controlled perhaps by solid state diffusion. One experiment with radiocopper instead of radiosilver is reported briefly. IT has been known for many years that sphalerite is floated after it has been activated by a metallic cation, particularly copper.' The activation of sphalerite by copper is known to be an exchange of an atom of copper for an atom of zinc at the surface of the sphalerite.2,3 It has been estimated from various guesses of the available mineral surface that the depth of the copper-bearing coating is of the order of thickness of one atom. However, the exact mechanism of the activation process is unknown. A number of metals other than copper act in the same general manner."' " In particular, it has been known that silver replaces zinc at the surface of sphalerite. As copper is usually divalent, whereas silver is monovalent, it may well be assumed that there are differences, perhaps major differences, in the detailed scheme of activation by these two cations. Furthermore, since silver has unusual photoelectric properties and may be a contributor to the fluorescence of sphalerite, a study of its activating mechanism might open up some interesting avenues for exploring these other phenomena. The choice of silver as an activator of sphalerite was suggested also by the fact that its radioactive tracer, silver 110, is particularly convenient in that it has a long half-life and is energetic enough to permit counting through a counter window. The experimental technique selected, therefore, included the preparation of solutions of silver nitrate con- taining a proportion of active silver nitrate sufficient to give convenient counting data. In further considering the method to be used, a desirable choice seemed the use of batch experimentation in which a given solution was allowed to act on a certain lot of mineral for a given length of time at a given temperature, this period of mutual reaction being followed by analyses of the separated solid and solution. But an alternative method seemed more attractive. This is the method now so familiar to the users of ion-exchange resins, which was first made famous by the Russian chromatographer, Tswett.6-8 It consists in forming the mineral into a porous column through which the solution is allowed to flow at a constant rate. The usual method of allowing a batch of solid to react with solution is the equivalent of a single plate distillation operation while the chromatographic or ion-exchange column is a multiple-plate method—the multiplicity of the plates being represented by the reciprocal of the rate of flow of solution through the column. It seemed to us that the chromatographic method had such

Jan 1, 1952

By A. M. Gaudin, W. D. Charles

IN flotation lime is used to depress pyrite. For this purpose it is preferred to caustic soda. The low cost of lime and the widespread availability largely account for this preference. However, there is some evidence' that pyrite is more readily depressed by calcium than by sodium ions at the same pH. To measure the difference in adsorption of calcium and sodium, which is thought to lie at the basis of the differences in depressing action, radionuclides of calcium and sodium have been used. The experimental work has included an evaluation of the effect of dissolved oxygen, of the concentration of calcium or sodium, of the concentration of hydrogen ion, and of the anions present. Preliminary work in the investigation entailed preparation of the pyrite, development of a technique for counting pyrite coated with Ca and Na, the radionuclides used, and development of an apparatus to study the adsorption of calcium and sodium on pyrite. The main experimental work included calcium adsorption and sodium adsorption studies detailed below. The following are the most salient observations made during these experiments. Oxygen in solution increases the adsorptive power of pyrite for calcium

Jan 1, 1954

By Claudio Guarnaschelli

Alteration of the electronic distribution of mineral surfaces by light irradiation has been used to modify the adsorption characteristics of flotation reagents. Energy of a few electron volts is suficient to cause the necessary transitions that either enhance or retard the adsorption phenomenon. The adsorption characteristics of potassium ethyl xanthate on galena and marmatite are presented as functions of the energy of illumination, type of semiconductor, and surface oxidation. In dilute solutions, the adsorption differences are readily detected by controlled kinetic measurements. The correlation between the electronic distribution and the adsorption and desorption phenomena at the solid surface is gaining more attention and acceptance. These interrelations have found a practical application in mineral processing since all of the sulfide minerals display semiconducting properties. By varying the ratio of free electron to electron vacancies, the separation of ilmenite from rutilel and zircon from pyrochlore" has been executed successfully. Plaksin et al.' indicate three possible ways of utilizing the semiconductor properties of a mineral. The first one involves the control of the oxidation-reduction potential of the liquid phase, the second one consists of allowing selected additives to diffuse through the mineral surface, while the third one entails a change in the adsorption and chemical activity of minerals by irradiating their surface. The aim of the present work is to consider the effect of irradiation on the adsorption-desorption characteristics of natural minerals. Since the effect of irradiation is to change the electronic distribution at the surface:

Jan 1, 1971

By S. Usui, I. Iwasaki

The adsorption mechanism of dodecylammonium acetate (DAA) on mercury in potassium fluoride solutions at natural, near neutral pH was investigated. Difler-ential capacity combined with electrocapillary measurements on a dropping mercury electrode were found to provide a sensitive and reliable approach. A shift in the electro capillary maximum (or the point-of-zero-charge) towards positive polarization of the surface due to the adsorption of amine indicated a specific affinity of dodecylammonium ion for mercury surfaces. The amine was shown to adsorb competitively with potassium ion on mercury. Through correlation of the adsorption density of the amine, calculated from the thermodynamic analyses of the electrocapillary curves, and of the diflerential capacity curves, the adsorbed state and the orientation of the amine at the interface were considered. The similarities and the differences in the adsorption behavior of the amine on mercury and on such ionic solids as quartz, silver sulfide, and silver iodide were evaluated. With the promise of flotation providing a cheap and large-scale process for the upgrading of low-grade ores and magnetic concentrates, the iron ore industry has made a sustained search over the years for a flotation reagent of general applicability and high selectivity. Having shelves full of commercial reagents already on hand and anticipating more, both the users and the suppliers are in need of an experimental approach sensitive enough to differentiate the individual characteristics in each group of reagents. Therefore, the adsorption behavior of various flotation reagents on mineral surfaces from aqueous solutions has been a subject of much investigation. The current view of adsorption based on the electrical double-layer theory is formulated on the assumption that certain ions in solution act as potential-determining ions. Their concentrations fix the potential drop across the double layer and their adsorptions govern the surface charge.' Two methods used to study the adsorption

Jan 1, 1971

By L. A. Roe

Magnetic separation of iron ores is one of the fastest-growing segments of the minerals beneficiation industry. The tonnage of taconite ores processed annually by magnetic separation will, in a few years, reach 100 million. Magnetic separation occupies an attractive position in the field of ore beneficiation. It is a simple yet effective method, used for some 150 years and steadily growing more important. This type of beneficiation orginated in 1792, when William Ful-larton was issued a British patent covering the separation of iron ore by magnetic attraction. What is magnetism, and why are some materials capable of being magnetized and others not The study involves many unknowns, and even a partial answer to these questions would be a dissertation in solid state physics and perhaps other fields of science. But the last two decades have revealed basic facts as to why certain materials are magnetic and what happens to them when they are magnetized. Some of the newer studies in solid state physics have developed a theory that can be applied to studies of magnetism. It is claimed that magnetism stems fundamentally from the spin of electrons in atoms that tend to go in pairs, spinning in opposite directions. The atom as a whole can act as a magnet only when there is an imbalance of electronic spin. Whenever an atom has an odd number of electrons, therefore, this imbalance exists. This neutralizing effect explains why a piece of material that contains atomic magnets is not necessarily magnetic. The physicists tell us that iron is composed of many small magnetized regions called domains, which consist individually of millions of atoms. The piece of iron becomes magnetized when an external force lines up these domains in the same direction. Fundamental data developed by physicists working in fields far removed from minerals beneficiation are now available for developing better magnetic separators for ore processing. More Data Needed on Magnetic Properties of Minerals: There is less information on magnetic properties of minerals than there is for certain aspects of magnetic separator design. When the data on magnetic properties is available, it is often directed toward the study of powders for tape recorders and other highly scientific endeavors that are of little use to the beneficiation engineer. W. R. Crane's table of tractive forces, published in 1902, is still a guide in the study of magnetic minerals. Bits of other information regarding electrostatic conductivity, dielectric constant values, and permeability of various minerals have also appeared but are of small practical value in magnetic separation of ore. It is extremely important to obtain pure mineral specimens for making investigations and to record results that may be of use in studies of magnetic processes. Reference to the large volume of data developed by those concerned with analysis and design of permanent magnets soon reveals that these people have extensively evaluated the effect of various impurities on magnetic properties. Much of the science of the ferrite industry is based upon spinel-type structures which are varied by substitution of selected elements or even subtraction of elements, leaving vacant sites in the space lattice. Magnetic separators are used to beneficiate a wide variety of industrial minerals. In this application the relatively large volumes of nonmagnetics are usually the commercial products. The amount of mag-

Jan 1, 1959

By Ellis H. Gates

BENEFICIATION of the manganese oxide ores at Three Kids Mine near Henderson, Nev., has evolved over a period of years. Commercial application of the process is on a secure basis, and an effective working hypothesis has been formulated to help solve the problems encountered in flotation. An outstanding difference between the Manganese Inc. operation and other flotation processes is the necessity for high recovery of slime mineral values. Part of the manganese minerals in the Three Kids ore deposit occurs as primary slime or as minerals that are easily slimed by grinding. High recovery of this slime portion is essential to an economic overall manganese recovery. The aim of much of the research at Manganese Inc. was to recover these slimed and finely ground minerals by flotation. Early Agglomeration Processes: Tunbridge' in 1880, followed by Everson2 in 1886 and Cattermole" in 1904, discovered that under certain pulp conditions precious metals and sulfide minerals could be agglomerated if enough soap or oil were mixed into the pulp slurry. These agglomerated particles, Which under ideal conditions ranged from 1/16 to 1/4 in. diam, were recovered by screening, tabling, and hydraulic classification. Even flotation by air occluded in the agglomkrate particles by vigorous stirring was suggested. Cattermole nearly succeeded in getting his process into commercial operation, but it was finally abandoned, presumably because he could nat compete with the low reagent requirements of the new agitation froth process. Since Cattermole's time Christensen in 1921, Borcherdt4 in 1926, and Chapman and Littleford- in 1934 have attempted to apply the principles of agglomeration. In the light of current research at Manganese Inc. on conditioning of pulp at high energy input levels, it is interesting to note the variety of equipment such as tumbling mills, mixing drums, and shakers described by Borcherdt in his patent to produce the agglomerated particles. Ore Characteristics: Manganese in the Three Kids ore occurs as a 'complex mixture of manganese oxides commonly Known as wad. The manganese minerals have Been identified as psilorflelane, hollandite, coronadite, and pyrolusite with minor amdunts of rhodonite and rhodochrbsite. The ppincipal gangue miherals are quaktz, opal, kaolinite, montmoril-lonite, calcite, gypsum, fcelesitite, and barite. Most of the mangandse ore minerals are either porous and sponge-like in structure or soft clay-like masses composed of fine grained mineral particles approaching the size range of colloids. Consequently the ore minerals from the Three Kids mine have relatively large surface areas and high void content per unit weight. The specific area of various manganese ore samples measured at the California Research Corp. laboratories ranged from 32 to 58 sq m per g. The great surface area and high void content explains in part the unusually high reagent consumption required in the treatment of this ore. Current Milling Practice: At Henderson6 he ore is crushed to —1 in. and ground with rod mills in a closed circuit with spiral rake classifiers and cyclones. Sulfur dioxide solution is added to the pulp as it leaves the grinding circuit, immediately followed by addition of a reagent mixture of soap, oil, and wetting agent in the form of an emulsion. The reagents are initially well mixed into the pulp during their passage through centrifugal pumps to the conditioning equipment. All reagents are added prior to conditioning. The intense conditioning or mechanical stirring of the pulp, in which large amounts of power are consumed, is the principal difference between the flowsheet used at Manganese Inc. and a standard flotation circuit. As much as 38 kw-hr of energy per dry short ton of ore in a pulp containing 18 to 23 pct solids is used for conditioning. After conditioning, the pulp passes to a flotation circuit that consists of one roughing stage, a scav-

Jan 1, 1958

By W. F. Stowasser

downdraft traveling grate process to agglomerate pelletized iron ore concentrates has been successfully demonstrated in a pilot plant at Carrollville, Wis. Work there followed several years of development in the Allis-Chalmers Mfg. Co. laboratories, and the pilot plant phase was carried out in cooperation with Arthur G. McKee & Co., consultants and engineers to the iron and steel industry. End result of the process is conversion of iron ore concentrates into a form which can easily be transported and smelted in the blast furnace. Process Description The first of two process steps incorporates the art of balling and prepares the concentrates for burning. The second step consists of burning the green balls on the grate machine to the hardness required for shipping and handling purposes and for reduction in blast furnaces, see Fig. 1. Facilities are provided at the pilot plant to receive carload quantities of concentrate. The concentrates are loaded into a 50-ton bin direct from railroad cars. Because of the variable moisture content of the concentrates after shipment in an open railroad car it is necessary to repulp and refilter the concentrates to maintain a uniform and proper moisture content for the balling operation. Concentrates are conveyed to slurry tanks, and the slurry, at 50 to 60 pct solids, is pumped to a 4x4-ft drum filter. The filter provides feed of uniform moisture to the plant. Magnetite concentrates are normally filtered to produce a cake containing about 10 pct moisture, a necessary requirement for the following balling operation. The filtered concentrate is conveyed to a rotary bin table feeder which acts as a surge bin for the filter cake and delivers a steady flow of concentrates to the balling drum. It is often desirable to make additions to the concentrates as they are fed to the balling drum. These additives, such as bentonite, increase the strength of the finished green pellet and improve ballability of the concentrate. A vibrating feeder supplies additive to the feed belt, and the additive is mixed with the concentrate in the balling drum. The balling drum, shown in Fig. 3, is 8x3-ft diam. An oscillating cutting bar maintains the lining in the drum by trimming off the buildup of excess concentrate as it forms. The drum is operated in closed circuit with a lx4-ft rod-deck vibrating screen. Undersize pellets or seed pellets from the screen are returned to the balling drum until they grow to the desired size. Size of pellets is controlled by the opening in the screen deck. The formation of pellets in the balling drum is affected by many variables. Some of these are: the size distribution of the feed, the particle shape of the concentrate, the feed rate to the drum, the moisture in the concentrate, the speed of rotation of the drum, the slope of the drum, and the type of trimming obtained with the cutting bar. In this process, attempts are made to control the pellet size within the limits of % to 5/8 in. diam. The screened oversize pellets are conveyed under a coal feeder where sufficient powdered coal is added to the belt to produce desired results in the burning process. The top size of the coal successfully used has been 20 mesh, and anthracite was used in the test program. Fig. 4 illustrates the vibrating screen and the coal feeder. The pellets and free coal are conveyed together to the 5x3-ft diam- reroll drum that rolls the coal onto the surface of the pellets. This drum is also equipped with a cutting bar. The prepared pellets, containing bentonite, water, and surface coal, are elevated to the traveling grate, which consists of a continuous strand of 37 pallets. Each pallet, with a grate bar area 2 ft wide by 1 1/2 ft long, has 14-in. high side plates, Fig. 5. Feeding and distribution of the green balls to the grate is handled by a short conveyor which oscillates back and forth across the 2-ft width of the grate. An adjustable vertical plate located several inches in front of the head pulley of the oscillating conveyor controls the height of the bed and levels the moving bed of pellets. This method of feeding prevents segregation of various size pellets as well as fines and produces a uniform, permeable bed. The pallet train moves under the furnace and across four windboxes, located beneath the pallet frames, see Fig. 2. As the green pellets are deposited on the grate, partial drying of the pellets begins over a 2-ft long updraft windbox. The low temperature air reduces the moisture in the pellets in the lower level of the bed and this operation is essential to prevent sagging of the bed during later stages of the Process. The air used for this drying is recuperated from cooling the pellets on the grate, and supplemental heat, required for starting the Process, is obtained from an auxiliary burner. The pellets are then moved by the grate into the furnace and over an 8-ft windbox, designated as the downdraft waste windbox. Products of combustion are exhausted from this windbox to atmosphere. The furnace, shown in Fig. 6, is constructed with three chambers to provide downdraft drying, preheating, and ignition, respectively, to the pellet bed as it passes through. Overall length of the furnace is 5.57 ft; however, the exterior wall ends may be moved to reduce the length and also adjusted to Obtain the bed height desired, The drying, preheating, and ignition sections of the furnace are supplied with medium temperature

Jan 1, 1956

By W. F. Stowasser

Robert E. Hagen (Oliver Iron Mining Div., U. S. Steel Corp.)—Mr. Stowasser and his associates are to be congratulated on their achievements in developing the design of a pilot agglomerating plant, based on information obtained from experiments made in a laboratory sinter pot, and subsequently constructing and successfully operating this plant. In his Transactions article, May 1955 (vol. 201) Mr. Stowasser stated that the output of his heat treating strand was about 2 Lt per sq ft of grate area per day and that the fuel consumption was 0.7 to 0.8 million Btu per Lt of product. If it is assumed that the burning zone extends from the back of the ignition furnace to the beginning of the recuperation windbox, only about 1/3 of the grate area over the windboxes is utilized for burning pellets, and the actual rate at which partially dried pellets are burned is about 6 Lt per sq ft of grate area per day. It may be interesting to compare the above operating data with that obtained at the Extaca plant, where taconite concentrate is treated on a conventional sin- tering machine using limestone or hydrated lime additives with no recuperation of heat. The entire windbox area is used for burning, and a production rate of 2.5 Lt per sq ft of windbox area per day has been attained at a fuel consumption of 1.8 to 2.0 million Btu per Lt of product, the latter being considerably in excess of that reported by Mr. Stowasser, partly because a circulating load of returns amounting to 28 to 30 pct of the machine feed is used and because no attempt is made to recuperate heat from the waste gases. With the high capital and labor costs prevailing today, it seems that future development of the downdraft grate pelletizing process should be directed toward taking advantage of the high burning rate of predried pellets and increasing capacity, perhaps at the expense of fuel economy, by decreasing the proportion of grate area utilized by ancillary functions. For example, eliminating the cooling zone and using this area for burning would increase the proportion of grate area available for burning from 33 to 50 pct of the total windbox area, and a proportionate increase in capacity would result.

Jan 1, 1956

By R. T. Hukki

The purpose of this paper is to present an analysis of the unit operation of grinding and the circulating load, of the unit operation of classification and the circulating load, and of the two superimposed into one operation to clarify the overall trend of events relating the circulating load to the capacity of the closed circuit grinding system, to the specific surface area of the final fine product, and to the energy consumption in the closed circuit grinding process. The capacity of the closed circuit is frequently, if not always, determined by the classifier, not by the mill." With these words a startling idea was expressed in 1934 by Dorr and Anable.1 Today, some 30 years later, grinding in closed circuit is universally accepted. The basic curve presenting the capacity factor versus circulating load by Dorr and Anable has obviously been so convincing that not a single authoritative investigation regarding its validity seems to have been conducted. The only major subject of discussion appears to have been the relative merits of the 'high' and 'low' circulating loads. It seems to be universally agreed that much still remains to be hoped for regarding sharpness of classification. BASIC CURVES FOR CONSTANT MILL LOADING Fig. 1 presents a series of basic curves for constant mill loadings in function of new feed rate and circulating load. The mill loading indicated by each curve is the sum of hourly tonnages of new feed and circulating load. For example, at point 0 where the new feed rate is 100 t/h and the circulating load 300%, or 300 t/h, the mill loading is 400 t/h. In closed circuit grinding, the new feed rate corresponds to the rate of finished classified material produced. Although at this stage the effect of classification is excluded in construction of the basic curves, the trend indicated by these curves is strongly in favor of closed circuit operation under relatively small circulating loads. A study of the curves reveals that, e.g., a mill operating under a load of 200 t/h at point P where the new feed rate is 50 t/h and the circulating load 300% will also operate under the same total load at point Q where the new feed rate is 100 t/h and the circulating load 100%. In other words, a reduction of circulating load from 300% to 100% would lead to doubling of the new feed rate and doubling of the rate of production of finished material, without a change in the total mill loading. The obvious question is, is it also possible by a reduction of the circulating load in a closed industrial grinding circuit to increase the production of finished classified material and, if so, how and to what extent? GRINDING TESTS BY DORR AND ANABLE In a series of open circuit grinding tests reported by Dorr and Anable1 limestone was ground at various feed rates in a 3-ft ball mill. The original data are reproduced in Table I. It can be seen that with the increased feed rate production of -65-mesh material increased and the energy consumption per unit weight of the -65-mesh product decreased in the reverse ratio. The data shown in Table I have been reproduced for our purposes in Table II for a scale corresponding to grinding in a large industrial mill. This reproduction

Jan 1, 1968

By B. G. Zambre, G. A. Parks, J. N. Roco

Automatic controls have long been a fact of technological life. Some understanding of control systems is rapidly becoming essential to the competence of mineral engineers. Students in undergraduate mineral engineering curricula, however, should not be expected to develop proficiency in the design and interpretation of control systems. They should be provided the opportunity to absorb some of the fundamental concepts and cant of such highly specialized peripheral fields as automatic controls. The present paper describes the components of a simple, flexible and relatively inexpensive control system designed primarily for the use of students in independent study projects. The control system is based on a continuous on-stream optical analyzer analogous to commercially available systems using X-Ray fluorescence analysis. The components can be easily adapted to control other separators and separations. As described here, they have been arranged to control the magnetic separation of a magnetite bearing specular hematite from quartz to produce a quartz product of fixed hematite content using a minimum of power. The control system consists of the magnetic separator* with a vibrating feeder, † a sampler, an optical scanner, a differential amplifier, a millivolt recorder ‡ and a motor driven, metered variable DC power supply for the separator electromagnet. An optional magnet current recorder is useful. The system as arranged for closed loop control is illustrated in Fig. 1. The elements of the loop are identified in automatic control jargon in Table I. The same components can be easily adapted for use in other control modes.§.1 * A Carpco Induced Roll High Intensity Magnetic Separator (Carpco Manufacturing, Inc., Jacksonville, Fla.); modified for external magnet power supply. A Jeffrey-Traylor Vibrating Feeder Type 1B (Jeffrey Manufacturing Co., Columbus, 0.). A Beckman Laboratory Potentiometric Recorder (Beckman Instruments, Inc., 619-A) fitted with adjustable limit switches for external circuit control (Beckman Instruments, Inc.. 71980). Terminology is taken from ref. 1. CLOSED LOOP OPERATION The separation is monitored through the optical reflectivity of the tailings stream which is proportional to the hematite content, THA. The difference, A, between the measured analysis (actually a proportional voltage) and a reference analysis (also a proportional voltage) is continuously recorded. The separation is controlled through changes in the electromagnet current, I, supplied from a motor driven variable source. The two primary variables, ? and I, are linked through adjustable limit switches on the

Jan 1, 1965

By C. M. Marquardt

Tramp iron and steel moving on a conveyor belt cause small currents to be generated in a coil situated in a strong magnetic field, which are converted to an alternating current and are amplified. The output voltage from the amplifier fires a thyratron with a relay in its anode circuit, which actuates a howler and simultaneously drops a spot of marker material on the belt. THE problem of tramp iron removal from moving ore belts is a long standing one. When heavy ore streams are carried on a belt, magnetic pulleys and strong surface magnets fail to remove tramp buried in the ore stream. Tramp iron buried in the ore stream cannot be pulled from the bed by surface magnets and is carried past the magnetic pulley by the falling ore stream. With the increased use of detachable bits the problem of the detection and removal of tramp has become more necessary and difficult. Several types of tramp detectors have been developed. It would serve no practical purpose here to review exhaustively the literature on the subject. Methods of tramp detection used are: (1) The magnetic method, wherein the small current generated by the magnetized tramp passing a Coil is used. (2) The unbalanced oscillator method wherein the tank circuit of a stable radio- or audio-frequency oscillator is unbalanced causing a change of frequency or a change in plate current due to changes in eddy currents, hysteresis, or dielectric because of the presence of tramp. (3) The bridge methods wherein the impedance of one leg of an alternating current inductive bridge is changed due to the presence of conducting tramp. Each of these methods of tramp detection has its field of usefulness. The second and third methods are excellent for oxide iron ores, coal, sand and gravel, grain, etc. However, these latter methods are not suitable for use on ores that contain rich conducting sulphides, since a large piece of pyrite or galena will cause the same detector response as a piece of tramp iron. At the Caselton, Nevada, plant of the Combined Metals Reduction Co., sulphide ores are treated; therefore, it was necessary that a tramp detector operating on only the magnetic properties of the tramp iron be used. Tramp iron detectors of this type operate on the principle that if a piece of tramp iron moves near a coil in a high intensity, steady magnetic field, the presence of the moving tramp iron causes the magnetic flux lines through the coil to change. This induces a mall current in the Coil. In series with the Coil is generally placed a relay sensitive to currents of 1 to 3 microamp. When the tramp iron passes near the coil the flux linkages change, causing this very sensitive relay to actuate. Since the contacts of such a relay are very small it must actuate a second relay capable of breaking a larger current

Jan 1, 1951

By C. M. Marquardt

Tramp iron and steel moving on a conveyor belt cause small currents to be generated in a coil situated in a strong magnetic field, which are converted to an alternating current and are amplified. The output voltage from the amplifier fires a thyratron with a relay in its anode circuit, which actuates a howler and simultaneously drops a spot of marker material on the belt. THE problem of tramp iron removal from moving ore belts is a long standing one. When heavy ore streams are carried on a belt, magnetic pulleys and strong surface magnets fail to remove tramp buried in the ore stream. Tramp iron buried in the ore stream cannot be pulled from the bed by surface magnets and is carried past the magnetic pulley by the falling ore stream. With the increased use of detachable bits the problem of the detection and removal of tramp has become more necessary and difficult. Several types of tramp detectors have been developed. It would serve no practical purpose here to review exhaustively the literature on the subject. Methods of tramp detection used are: (1) The magnetic method, wherein the small current generated by the magnetized tramp passing a Coil is used. (2) The unbalanced oscillator method wherein the tank circuit of a stable radio- or audio-frequency oscillator is unbalanced causing a change of frequency or a change in plate current due to changes in eddy currents, hysteresis, or dielectric because of the presence of tramp. (3) The bridge methods wherein the impedance of one leg of an alternating current inductive bridge is changed due to the presence of conducting tramp. Each of these methods of tramp detection has its field of usefulness. The second and third methods are excellent for oxide iron ores, coal, sand and gravel, grain, etc. However, these latter methods are not suitable for use on ores that contain rich conducting sulphides, since a large piece of pyrite or galena will cause the same detector response as a piece of tramp iron. At the Caselton, Nevada, plant of the Combined Metals Reduction Co., sulphide ores are treated; therefore, it was necessary that a tramp detector operating on only the magnetic properties of the tramp iron be used. Tramp iron detectors of this type operate on the principle that if a piece of tramp iron moves near a coil in a high intensity, steady magnetic field, the presence of the moving tramp iron causes the magnetic flux lines through the coil to change. This induces a mall current in the Coil. In series with the Coil is generally placed a relay sensitive to currents of 1 to 3 microamp. When the tramp iron passes near the coil the flux linkages change, causing this very sensitive relay to actuate. Since the contacts of such a relay are very small it must actuate a second relay capable of breaking a larger current

Jan 1, 1951

By H. Rush Spedden, Arvid Thunaes

Pilot plant test work in 1942 and 1943 showed that by a combination of deslim-ing, fine-size classification, and Sullivan deck concentration it is possible to recover heavy minerals such as cassiterite at least as fine as 10 microns in size. This appreciable improvement in gravity concentration practice has been substantiated by several full-sized plants. IN the past, mills treating ores of tin and tungsten by gravity concentration have recovered very little mineral finer than 325 mesh, although some form of slime concentration has been generally attempted by the use of buddies or round tables. This paper describes a series of pilot plant tests made in 1942 and 1943 in which the use of the Sullivan deck was investigated for the recovery of an appreciable amount of the fine values formerly lost. The investigation was initiated by the U. S. Government in an effort to increase the wartime production of tin. Bolivian milling practice at that time included jigging of the coarse sizes, tabling of the intermediate sizes on conventional shaking tables, and the use of buddies or round tables on the finest sizes. Flotation of the pyrite was employed at different stages of the treatment, depending upon the quantity present and the preference of the operator. Usually good recoveries and the bulk of the production were made in the jigging and tabling operations provided that these sections were not overloaded. Buddies and round tables were used for a small additional recovery if it could be shown that they could pay for their high cost of operation. Extensive test work established that by a combination of desliming, classification, and Sullivan deck treatment, cassiterite as fine as 10 microns (1500 mesh) could be recovered when proper conditions were maintained. This test work has been verified by several full-scale installations. The method is generally applicable to the preconcentra-tion of large tonnages of low-grade ores or tailings for the recovery of a small amount of a valuable heavy mineral. The Sullivan deck (or now the Denver Buckman tilting concentrator), which is the essential part of the method, was devised originally for the recovery of tin from tailings of the Sullivan concentrator, Kimberly, B. C. Since the material treated contained only 0.05 pct Sn, it was impractical to attempt to recover cassiterite finer than 500 mesh.*

Jan 1, 1951