PROCESS FOR EXTRACTING MINERALS AND SIMULTANEOUSLY DEHYDRATING MINED FRACTIONS OF LESS THAN 50 MICRONS USING BALLASTED FLOCCULATION

摘要

The focus of the invention is exclusively on ROM fractions of less than 50 microns from existing processes for recovering minerals, such as flotation, magnetic separation and gravity concentration, or for reprocessing waste product and storage dams. The proposed solution comprises three (3) distinct and simultaneous steps, as follows: Step 1: Separating and processing the fractions of less than 50 microns separately. Step 2: Recovering the minerals using selective flocculation, magnetite as the ballast and mixed polymers in a magnetic field to form large stable flocs of the target mineral. Step 2.1: Processing the mineral flocs. Step 3: Flocculating the silicates and other gangue minerals using magnetite as the ballast and mixed polymers in a magnetic field to form large stable flocs. Step 3.1: Treating the gangue mineral flocs This is a process aimed at the same time at concentrating the minerals and at supplying a stable, solid low-grade residue that can be conveyed with the process waste, the quality water resulting from the process being returned to the process. This is a continuous twofold process totally controlled by a SCADA system. Two important factors should be noted: 1. The invention describes a two-fold industrial process, not a laboratory process. 2. No claim is made to any specific equipment. On the contrary, the process described innovatively combines existing equipment to achieve the above-mentioned objectives. A lower total amount of chemical additives and return water of better quality are positive environmental aspects. The process supplements the existing metallurgical concentration processes.