IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
UP-0951935
(2004-09-28)
|
등록번호 |
US-7571814
(2009-08-25)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
|
출원인 / 주소 |
- Wave Separation Technologies LLC
|
대리인 / 주소 |
Honigman Miller Schwartz & Cohn LLP
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
2 인용 특허 :
42 |
초록
▼
Methods and apparatuses for separating metal values, such as nickel and nickel compounds, from mineral ores, including lateritic ores are disclosed. The method includes providing a mixture of particles (e.g., crushed and sized ore) that is composed of at least a first group of particles and a second
Methods and apparatuses for separating metal values, such as nickel and nickel compounds, from mineral ores, including lateritic ores are disclosed. The method includes providing a mixture of particles (e.g., crushed and sized ore) that is composed of at least a first group of particles and a second group of particles. Group members have similar chemical composition, while particles belonging to different groups have dissimilar chemical compositions. The mixture of particles is concurrently, or generally concurrently, heated (using microwave/millimeter wave energy) and exposed to a reactant. The wave energy and the reactant act to increase the difference in either the magnetic susceptibility or other separation properties between the first and second group of particles. The mixture of particles is then passed through an appropriate separator to separate the particles of interest. Optional steps are disclosed for purifying selected particles. The reactant includes sulfur, sulfur compounds, halogens, or halogen compounds.
대표청구항
▼
What is claimed is: 1. A method of separating components of a mixture, the method comprising: A) providing a mixture of particles, the mixture comprised of at least a first group of particles and a second group of particles, the first group of particles having a different chemical composition than
What is claimed is: 1. A method of separating components of a mixture, the method comprising: A) providing a mixture of particles, the mixture comprised of at least a first group of particles and a second group of particles, the first group of particles having a different chemical composition than the second group of particles; B) exposing the mixture of particles to microwave/millimeter wave energy to heat the first and second group of particles, C) generally concurrently with heating said mixture of particles, exposing the mixture of particles to a reactant, wherein the reactant includes at least one of sulfur, a compound containing sulfur, a halogen or a compound containing halogen, wherein the mixture of particles is a lateritic ore. 2. The method of claim 1, further including the step of: D) exposing the mixture of particles to a separator including one of a magnetic separator, a flotation separator, or an ion resin separator wherein the separator causes the particles to separate into first and second fractions, the first fraction having a greater percentage of the first group of particles than the mixture, and the second fraction having a greater percentage of the second group of particles than the mixture. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first group of particles includes one or more metal values. 4. The method of claim 2, wherein said separator is a froth flotation separator. 5. The method of claim 2, wherein said separator is an ion resin separator. 6. The method of claim 3, wherein the first group of particles includes one or more nickel values. 7. The method of claim 1, further comprising a third group of particles that includes one or more cobalt values. 8. The method of claim 1, further including the step of pressurizing the reactant and fluidizing the mixture of particles using the pressurized reactant. 9. The method of claim 1, further including the step of pressurizing an environment in which steps B and C take place. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the microwave/millimeter wave energy is created by a gyrotron source or a millimeter wave source. 11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of: enhancing a magnetic susceptibility of at least some of the mixture of particles upon exposing the mixture of particles to the reactant. 12. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of: enhancing a flotation separation property of at least some of the mixture of particles upon exposing the mixture of particles to the reactant. 13. The method of claim 1, wherein, prior to exposing the mixture of particles to the reactant, further comprising the step of: providing the reactant in a gaseous state for enveloping the mixture of particles with the reactant. 14. The method of claim 1, wherein, prior to exposing the mixture of particles to the reactant, further comprising the step of: providing the reactant in a liquid state for coating the mixture of particles with the reactant. 15. The method of claim 1, wherein, prior to exposing the mixture of particles to the reactant, further comprising the step of: providing the reactant in a powdered state for coating the mixture of particles with the reactant. 16. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of: introducing the reactant proximate the mixture of particles for exposing the reactant to the microwave/millimeter wave energy for heating the reactant. 17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of: gasifying and expanding the reactant in response to heating the reactant for coating the mixture of particles with the reactant. 18. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of: exposing the mixture of particles to the reactant at atmospheric pressure. 19. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of: exposing the mixture of particles to the reactant at a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure. 20. A method of concentrating nickel values of a lateritic ore, the method comprising: A) providing a lateritic ore comprised of a mixture of particles; B) exposing the lateritic ore to microwave/millimeter wave energy in order to selectively heat particles that contain substantial amounts of one or more nickel values, C) generally concurrently with heating said particles, exposing the mixture of particles to a reactant. 21. The method of claim 20, further including the step of: D) separating the lateritic ore using at least one of a magnetic separator, a flotation separator, or an ion resin separator wherein at least some of the particles that contain nickel values separate from the mixture of particles. 22. The method of claim 20, wherein the nickel values are nickel compounds. 23. The method of claim 20, wherein exposing the mixture of particles to microwave/millimeter wave energy further comprises heating at least a portion of the particles that contain substantial amounts of nickel values from about 250° C. or higher. 24. The method of claim 20, wherein exposing the mixture of particles to microwave/millimeter wave energy further comprises heating at least a portion of the particles that contain substantial amounts of nickel values to a temperature of at least about 500° C. or higher. 25. The method of claim 20, further including the step of: E) processing the particles containing nickel using a flotation separator, a smelter, a leach cycle, an ion resin separator, or exposing said particles containing nickel to microwave/millimeter wave energy. 26. The method of claim 20, further comprising fluidizing the mixture of particles with a gas other than the reactant. 27. The method of claim 20, further comprising fluidizing the mixture of particles using the reactant. 28. The method of claim 20, wherein the reactant includes at least one of sulfur, a compound containing sulfur, a halogen or a compound containing a halogen. 29. The method of claim 20, wherein steps B and C are conducted in a pressurized environment at a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure. 30. The method of claim 20, including the step of: processing particles containing nickel first using a magnetic separator and then using a flotation separator. 31. The method of claim 30, further using a leach cycle to extract particles of interest from a waste product of said flotation separator. 32. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of: enhancing a magnetic susceptibility of at least some of the mixture of particles upon exposing the mixture of particles to the reactant. 33. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of: enhancing a flotation separation property of at least some of the mixture of particles upon exposing the mixture of particles to the reactant. 34. The method of claim 20, wherein, prior to exposing the mixture of particles to the reactant, further comprising the step of: providing the reactant in a gaseous state for enveloping the mixture of particles with the reactant. 35. The method of claim 20, wherein, prior to exposing the mixture of particles to the reactant, further comprising the step of: providing the reactant in a liquid state for coating the mixture of particles with the reactant. 36. The method of claim 20, wherein, prior to exposing the mixture of particles to the reactant, further comprising the step of: providing the reactant in a powdered state for coating the mixture of particles with the reactant. 37. The method of claim 20, further comprising the steps of: introducing the reactant proximate the mixture of particles for exposing the reactant to the microwave/millimeter wave energy for heating the reactant. 38. The method of claim 37, further comprising the step of: gasifying and expanding the reactant in response to heating the reactant for coating the mixture of particles with the reactant. 39. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of: exposing the mixture of particles to the reactant at atmospheric pressure. 40. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of: exposing the mixture of particles to the reactant at a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure.
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