The present invention provides new techniques related to magnetically controllable and/or steerable froth for use in separation processes of mineral-bearing ore and bitumen. Apparatus is provided featuring a processor configured to contain a fluidic medium having a material-of-interest and also having a surfactant with magnetic properties so as to cause the formation of a froth layer that contains at least some of the material-of-interest and is magnetically responsive; and a magnetic field generator configured to generate a magnetic field and provide non-mechanical mixing and steering/driving of the froth layer in the processor. The material-of-interest may be mineral-bearing ore particles or bitumen. The processor includes a flotation tank, a primary separation vessel (PSV), or a pipe, including a tailings pipeline. The pipe has a non-magnetic pipe section, and the magnetic field generator includes a magnetic coil arranged in relation to non-magnetic pipe section to generate the magnetic field and provide the non-mechanical mixing and steering/driving of the froth layer in the pipe.

A method of separating sludge which involves adding an insoluble mineral colloidal suspension into an industrial sludge to destabilize the industrial sludge and separating destabilized components of the industrial sludge. The insoluble mineral colloidal suspension includes magnesium hydroxide. In an alternative embodiment dry finely divided magnesium hydroxide can be added and then dispersed into an industrial sludge. Conventional flocculants and/or coagulants can also be added. Conventional physical separation processes can be used to separate the destabilized industrial sludge.

A method for froth-controlled flotation of argillaceous lepidolite ore, including: crushing and grinding an ore, adding water to obtain pulp; adding agents thereto, and conducting roughing to obtain roughing concentrate and roughing tailing; adding agents to the roughing tailing, and conducting first scavenging to obtain first scavenging concentrate and first scavenging tailing; subjecting the first scavenging tailing to second scavenging to obtain second scavenging concentrate and second scavenging tailing; adding agents to the roughing concentrate, conducting first cleaning to obtain first cleaning concentrate and first cleaning tailing; subjecting the first cleaning concentrate to second cleaning to obtain lithium concentrate I and second cleaning tailing; combining the first scavenging concentrate, second scavenging concentrate, first cleaning tailing, and second cleaning tailing to obtain lithium-containing mixed middling, adding agents thereto, and conducting cleaning-scavenging to obtain lithium concentrate II and cleaning-scavenging tailing; and combining the lithium concentrate I and lithium the concentrate II.

A method for froth-controlled flotation of argillaceous lepidolite ore, including: crushing and grinding an ore, adding water to obtain pulp; adding agents thereto, and conducting roughing to obtain roughing concentrate and roughing tailing; adding agents to the roughing tailing, and conducting first scavenging to obtain first scavenging concentrate and first scavenging tailing; subjecting the first scavenging tailing to second scavenging to obtain second scavenging concentrate and second scavenging tailing; adding agents to the roughing concentrate, conducting first cleaning to obtain first cleaning concentrate and first cleaning tailing; subjecting the first cleaning concentrate to second cleaning to obtain lithium concentrate I and second cleaning tailing; combining the first scavenging concentrate, second scavenging concentrate, first cleaning tailing, and second cleaning tailing to obtain lithium-containing mixed middling, adding agents thereto, and conducting cleaning-scavenging to obtain lithium concentrate II and cleaning-scavenging tailing; and combining the lithium concentrate I and lithium the concentrate II.

A froth flotation cell for treating mineral ore particles suspended in slurry includes a tank, a gas supply, a first froth collection channel, a second froth collection channel arranged between the centre of the tank and the first froth collection channel, and a radial froth collection launder including a radial froth overflow lip, and extending from the first froth collection channel towards the second froth collection channel. The froth flotation cell further includes a radial froth crowder including a crowding sidewall, and extending from the second froth collection channel to the first froth collection channel. Further, a froth flotation line, its use and a froth flotation method are presented.

An apparatus (40) for deaerating a froth comprising a spinning basket (44) mounted on a driven shaft (46). The side walls of the spinning basket have a mesh or openings therein. Froth is supplied to the interior of the spinning basket and contacts the floor of the spinning basket and is flung outwardly through the mesh or openings to break the bubbles and deaerate the froth. A solid wall (42) may surround the spinning basket to further assist in deaeration. A spinning plate may be used in place of the spinning basket. In another embodiment, vacuum is used to deaerate the froth.

A method for treating process water of a flotation arrangement is disclosed. The process comprising the steps of a) dewatering overflow of a mineral flotation circuit in a gravitational solid-liquid separator to separate a sediment from a supernatant comprising water, silica-containing particles and soluble SiO2, fine particles, microbes, and residual flotation chemicals; b) subjecting the supernatant to cleaning flotation, in which at least 90% of the flotation gas bubbles have a size from 0.2 to 250 m, in a cleaning flotation unit for collecting at least silica-containing particles, for separating at least silica-containing particles from the supernatant into cleaning flotation overflow, and for forming purified process water as cleaning flotation underflow; c) removing cleaning flotation overflow as tailings; and d) recirculating purified process water into the mineral flotation circuit. A process water treatment arrangement is also disclosed.

Methods of improving the stability of froth flotation overflows and underflows include adding 1 ppm to 1000 ppm by weight of a cationic polymer to an overflow or an underflow including 1 wt % to 20 wt % of a particulate product in a medium, wherein the particulate product is a valuable mineral product or a gangue. In particular, the addition of cationic polymer to a tailings flowthat is, a gangue in a fluid medium-reduces or eliminates sanding, a term of art used to describe the technical problem of deposition of gangue solids from tailings flows transported through pipes, tubes, and runways during transportation thereof e.g. to a thickener bed.

The present invention provides new techniques related to magnetically controllable and/or steerable froth for use in separation processes of mineral-bearing ore and bitumen. Apparatus is provided featuring a processor configured to contain a fluidic medium having a material-of-interest and also having a surfactant with magnetic properties so as to cause the formation of a froth layer that contains at least some of the material-of-interest and is magnetically responsive; and a magnetic field generator configured to generate a magnetic field and provide non-mechanical mixing and steering/driving of the froth layer in the processor. The material-of-interest may be mineral-bearing ore particles or bitumen. The processor includes a flotation tank, a primary separation vessel (PSV), or a pipe, including a tailings pipeline. The pipe has a non-magnetic pipe section, and the magnetic field generator includes a magnetic coil arranged in relation to non-magnetic pipe section to generate the magnetic field and provide the non-mechanical mixing and steering/driving of the froth layer in the pipe.