The present invention provides improved methods for purifying and/or removing oily particles, and/or contaminants suspended or dissolved in water. In particular the process relates to an additive composition that has the appropriate surfactant characteristics for effectively removing an oil phase from an oil/aqueous mixed phase via foam fractionation. According to the invention, a hydrophobically modified polymer that acts as an associative thickener is combined with surfactant in appropriate ratios to facilitate oil removal for water purification in any of a number of commercial, environmental and industrial applications.

This proposed invention consists of a process for elaborating a depressant agent, which includes, by weight percentage, dissolving 1-40% humic acid, or humic acid derivatives, in 50-99% water at a temperature between 15-30° C. and solubilizing it by adding 0-10% potassium hydroxide; the temperature will rise due to the solvation of potassium hydroxide (30-45° C.); leaving to react and homogenize for 20-60 minutes; causing the latter product to react with 0.1-15% of fulvic acid to generate a product that controls zinc and iron during flotation. The purpose of this invention is to fully replace zinc sulfate, reducing the dosage of the replacement depressant agent by up to 20 times less, furthermore reducing the amount of CuSO.sub.4 used in the flotation process, among other improvements.

This proposed invention consists of a process for elaborating a depressant agent, which includes, by weight percentage, dissolving 1-40% humic acid, or humic acid derivatives, in 50-99% water at a temperature between 15-30° C. and solubilizing it by adding 0-10% potassium hydroxide; the temperature will rise due to the solvation of potassium hydroxide (30-45° C.); leaving to react and homogenize for 20-60 minutes; causing the latter product to react with 0.1-15% of fulvic acid to generate a product that controls zinc and iron during flotation. The purpose of this invention is to fully replace zinc sulfate, reducing the dosage of the replacement depressant agent by up to 20 times less, furthermore reducing the amount of CuSO.sub.4 used in the flotation process, among other improvements.

A method of processing thin stillage in an ethanol refining operation is provided. In one embodiment, the method comprises treating stillage with an inverse emulsion comprising at least one anionic flocculant and an emulsifying agent selected from a sorbitan ester of a fatty acid, an ethoxylated sorbitan ester of a fatty acid, and combinations thereof, thereby forming treated stillage; clarifying the treated stillage via at least one of dissolved air flotation and induced air flotation, thereby forming clarified thin stillage and a float layer comprising oil and solids; separating the oil from the solids of the float layer; and recovering the oil.

Described herein are methods of reducing the viscosity of products of sulfide ore froth flotation. A froth overflow, or an underflow of sulfide ore flotation is treated using a nonionic compound to reduce the viscosity of a froth or an underflow. The lowered viscosity imparts several benefits in sulfide ore processing of copper and molybdenum metal products, including increased rate of sedimentation to yield a concentrated product.

Compositions for adjusting the pH of sea water to be useful in metal floatation processes are described, as are methods utilizing such compositions. Precipitation of insoluble magnesium salts interferes with pH adjustment of sea water when conventional sources of CaO and/or Ca(OH).sub.2 are used, however addition of nonreactive particulates (such as waste materials from industrial processes) permits use of such low quality sources of CaO/Ca(OH).sub.2 and reduces consumption of high quality CaO/Ca(OH).sub.2 for this purpose.

Compositions for adjusting the pH of sea water to be useful in metal floatation processes are described, as are methods utilizing such compositions. Precipitation of insoluble magnesium salts interferes with pH adjustment of sea water when conventional sources of CaO and/or Ca(OH).sub.2 are used, however addition of nonreactive particulates (such as waste materials from industrial processes) permits use of such low quality sources of CaO/Ca(OH).sub.2 and reduces consumption of high quality CaO/Ca(OH).sub.2 for this purpose.

A novel reagent blend and a method by which a fatty acid collector can be used at temperatures below which the fatty acid normally begins to solidify. The reagent blend may comprise fatty acid, an emulsifying reagent, and glycol ether. The emulsifying reagent may comprise 5% of the reagent blend, while the glycol ether may comprise 1% of the reagent blend. The reagent blend may be used for mineral flotation without the addition of heat.

An alkyl thioether ethyl hydroxamic acid beneficiation reagent and a preparation method and application thereof are provided. The alkyl thioether ethyl hydroxamic acid molecules have two functional groups, a thioether group and a hydroxamate group. The beneficiation reagent is obtained by esterification of alkyl thioether acetic acid and methanol and then by hydroxamation of hydroxylamine and an alkali. The alkyl thioether ethyl hydroxamic acid beneficiation reagent can be used as a collector for mineral flotation. The preparation method is simple and has a high yield. The thioether and hydroxamate group in the molecules have a synergistic effect and can effectively improve the collection performance.

This invention relates to use of a water-miscible polyhydric alcohol having two or three hydroxyl groups for improving the collector performance of a collector composition for the reverse iron ore flotation comprising at least one alkyl ether amine of formula (I) and/or alkyl ether diamine of formula (II)

R.sup.1—(O-A)-NH.sub.2  (I)

R.sup.2—(O-A)-NH—R.sup.3—NH.sub.2  (II)

wherein
R.sup.1 is a hydrocarbyl group with 6 to 24 carbon atoms,
R.sup.2 is a hydrocarbyl group with 6 to 24 carbon atoms,
R.sup.3 is an aliphatic hydrocarbyl group with 2 to 4 carbon atoms
A is an alkylene group with 2 to 6 carbon atoms.