GYPSUM SCALE INHIBITORS FOR ORE SLURRY SYSTEMS IN HYDRO METALLURGICAL APPLICATIONS

摘要

A process for preventing/inhibiting/controlling complex scale in miningoperationscomprises adding to an aqueous mineral ore slurry having a solids content ofatleast 10%, an amount based on the aqueous phase of from 5 ppm to 300 ppmactivecomponent of a scale inhibiting composition. The scale inhibiting compositionhasan active component selected from (a) a carboxylate polymer having the formula(see above formula)wherein R1 is selected from the group consisting of sulfonate, sulfate,phosphonate,alcohol, 1,1-diphenylhexyl, tert-butyl, mercaptoethanol, mercaptopropionicacid,and mercaptoglycolic acid; R2 is a polycarboxylate; and R3 is H or R1; or (b)apolyamino acid having the formulapoly(X)m poly(Y)nwherein X and Y are independently selected from the group consisting of anaminoacid, a salt of an amino acid and an amino acid derivative, m can be from 2 to60,n can be up to 60, and the sum of m and n is at least 5. The pH of the mineraloreslurry is below 9.0 and the complex scale comprises gypsum.