This disclosure describes methods, processes and devices that remove or release organics from ores, such as phosphate ores or secondary sources such as mine tailings or waste. The method comprises: preparing an ore to a pre-set size; mixing the ore with a reagent having an initial pH value in a slurry comprising the ore and the reagent; and while mixing the slurry, maintaining a pH level in the slurry to a pH range. While mixing the slurry, the slurry may produce a supernatant containing organic material removed from the ore and sediment containing refined ore. The method may also screen the slurry to create a first stream of materials that does not pass through the screen and a second stream of materials and refined ore that pass through the screen.

The present invention relates to a process for treating non-sulfidic ores with a collector composition containing a primary and a secondary collector, wherein the primary collector is selected from the group of amphoteric and anionic surface active compounds and the secondary collector is an ethoxylated fatty acid wherein the average degree of ethoxylation is higher than 0 and less than 2, to collector compositions suitable for use in the above process, and to pulp comprising such collector compositions.

Process of acid attack with sulphuric acid of a phosphate source comprising calcium or not comprising calcium for a predetermined time period ranging from 20 to 180 minutes in the conditions wherein the molar ratio of sulphate from the sulphuric acid and possibly from the phosphate source to the calcium present in the phosphate source ranges from 0.6 to 0.8, and the content in P.sub.2O.sub.5 in the attack tank is of less than 6%.

A process for recovering phosphorus from phosphoritic materials in a top submerged lance furnace or a fuming furnace is disclosed. The process employs a mixture of combustion agents to produce reducing conditions in the slag bath and post-combustion oxidising conditions in the headspace of the furnace. The process involves smelting a mixture of a phosphoritic material and a carbonaceous material in the furnace to produce a molten slag in the slag bath and phosphorus vapour in the headspace, wherein the post-combustion oxidising conditions in the headspace favours retention of ferrous oxides in the molten slag to minimise deportment of phosphorus to a ferro-phosphorus alloy; The phosphorus vapour in the headspace is subsequently oxidised to produce phosphorus pentoxide, which is subsequently passed from the headspace to a reactor to recover a phosphoric acid solution.

A process for recovering phosphorus from phosphoritic materials in a top submerged lance furnace or a fuming furnace is disclosed. The process employs a mixture of combustion agents to produce reducing conditions in the slag bath and post-combustion oxidising conditions in the headspace of the furnace. The process involves smelting a mixture of a phosphoritic material and a carbonaceous material in the furnace to produce a molten slag in the slag bath and phosphorus vapour in the headspace, wherein the post-combustion oxidising conditions in the headspace favours retention of ferrous oxides in the molten slag to minimise deportment of phosphorus to a ferro-phosphorus alloy; The phosphorus vapour in the headspace is subsequently oxidised to produce phosphorus pentoxide, which is subsequently passed from the headspace to a reactor to recover a phosphoric acid solution.

A phosphorus production method can include reducing feed containing phosphate ore and providing a silica ratio from 0.3 to 0.7 in a reaction chamber from 1250 to 1380 C. Less than 20% of the phosphate remains in the residue. Another phosphorus production method includes continuously moving a reducing bed through the reaction chamber with the feed agglomerates substantially stable while in the reducing bed. Reaction chamber temperature can be from 1250 to 1380 C. A phosphorus production system includes a barrier wall segmenting the reaction chamber into a reduction zone differentiated from a preheat zone. The bed floor is configured to move continuously from the preheat zone to the reduction zone during operation. A method for producing a reduction product includes exothermically oxidizing reduction/oxidation products in the reaction chamber, thereby adding heat to the reducing bed from the freeboard as a second heat source.

A phosphorus production method can include reducing feed containing phosphate ore and providing a silica ratio from 0.3 to 0.7 in a reaction chamber from 1250 to 1380 C. Less than 20% of the phosphate remains in the residue. Another phosphorus production method includes continuously moving a reducing bed through the reaction chamber with the feed agglomerates substantially stable while in the reducing bed. Reaction chamber temperature can be from 1250 to 1380 C. A phosphorus production system includes a barrier wall segmenting the reaction chamber into a reduction zone differentiated from a preheat zone. The bed floor is configured to move continuously from the preheat zone to the reduction zone during operation. A method for producing a reduction product includes exothermically oxidizing reduction/oxidation products in the reaction chamber, thereby adding heat to the reducing bed from the freeboard as a second heat source.

Provided herein are systems and methods for producing nitrophosphates and mineralized carbon. Advantageously, the systems and methods are capable of sequestering carbon from the atmosphere. The systems generally include a first reactor for producing nitric acid; a mixer for mixing the nitric acid produced in the first reactor with a phosphate source, thereby producing nitro-phosphoric acid; and a second reactor for producing a solution comprising nitrophosphates and mineralized carbon, wherein the second reactor is operable to receive: the nitro-phosphoric acid from the mixer, ammonia, water, and carbon dioxide.

A method for separating elemental phosphorus from iron oxide-containing and phosphate-containing materials includes at least the following steps: providing at least one iron oxide-containing and phosphate-containing material, adding at least one aluminum carrier to the at least one iron oxide-containing and phosphate-containing material and melting the at least one aluminum carrier together with the at least one iron oxide-containing and phosphate-containing material to form an aluminum-containing and optionally aluminum oxide-containing phosphate slag melt, reacting the aluminum-containing and optionally aluminum oxide-containing phosphate slag melt to elemental, gaseous phosphorus, iron and Al.sub.2O.sub.3-containing slag in a melting vessel, withdrawing the elemental, gaseous phosphorus and tapping off the iron and the Al.sub.2O.sub.3-containing slag.

The invention relates to a process for the combined recycling of phosphate and nitrogen from sewage sludge. The core task of the invention consists of the recycling of phosphorous from sewage sludge ash and the reaction of phosphorous with nitrogen from the vapors of the sewage sludge drying and the manure to form NP fertilizer diammonium phosphate.