Agglomerating particulate materials

Abstract

Methods for agglomerating particulate material, especially iron ore and iron ore which is difficult or impossible to bind using known binders and techniques, by rendering the surface of the material negative, by chelating interfering elements in or on the material to permit effective performance of the binder, or by using a binding effective amount of a polymeric binder, sodium carbonate, sodium citrate, and, optionally, caustic.

1 . A method for agglomerating a metal containing ore comprising: 
 rendering the surface of the particulate material negative;    adding to the particulate material a binding effective amount of a polymeric binder; and    forming the particulate material into agglomerates.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said polymeric binder is guar, guar derivatives, carboxymethyl guar, hydroxypropyl guar, carboxymethylhydroxypropyl guar, modified starch, starch derivatives, carboxymethyl starch, pregelatinized starch, alginates, pectins, polyacrylamides and derivatives thereof, polyacrylates and copolymers thereof, polyethyleneoxides, cellulose derivatives and salts thereof, carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, carboxymethylhydroxyethyl cellulose, methylhydroxyethyl cellulose, carboxymethyldihydroxypropyl cellulose, xanthan gum, dairy wastes, wood related products, lignin, or mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of rendering includes adding to the particulate material sodium citrate, acrylate dispersants, other salts of mono-, multi carboxylic acids, phosphates, non-ionic water soluble polymers, guar, starch, non-ionic polyacrylamides/acrylates, non-ionic celluloses, methyl/ethyl cellulose, or mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of rendering includes adding sodium citrate to the particulate material and the polymeric binder is an alkali metal salt of carboxymethyl cellulose.  
     
     
         5 . (canceled)  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metal containing ore is iron ore.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising adding to the metal containing ore sodium carbonate, caustic or mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the particulate material is iron ore, the polymeric binder is sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, the binding effective amount of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose ranges from about 0.005% to about 0.2% based on the weight of iron ore ranging from about 0.1 lb/ton to about 4.5 lbs/ton, the amount of sodium carbonate ranges from about 0.005% to about 0.07% based on the weight of the iron ore ranging from about 0.1 lb/ton to about 1.5 lbs/ton, the amount of caustic ranges from about 0.005% to about 0.05% based on the weight of the iron ore ranging from about 0.1 lb/ton to about 1.1 lb/ton, the step of rendering includes adding sodium citrate to the iron ore, and the amount of sodium citrate ranges from about 0.005% to about 0.1% based on the weight of the iron ore ranging from about 0.1 lb/ton to about 2.2 lbs/ton.  
     
     
         9 . A method for agglomerating metal containing ore comprising: 
 chelating interfering elements in or on the particulate material;    adding to the particulate material a binding effective amount of a polymeric binder; and    forming the particulate material into agglomerates.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said polymeric binder is guar, guar derivatives, carboxymethyl guar, hydroxypropyl guar, carboxymethylhydroxypropyl guar, modified starch, starch derivatives, carboxymethyl starch, pregelatinized starch, alginates, pectins, polyacrylamides and derivatives thereof, polyacrylates and copolymers thereof, polyethyleneoxides, cellulose derivatives and salts thereof, carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, carboxymethylhydroxyethyl cellulose, methylhydroxyethyl cellulose, carboxymethyldihydroxypropyl cellulose, xanthan gum, dairy wastes, wood related products, lignin, or mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the step of chelating includes adding to the particulate material sodium citrate, tetra-sodium EDTA, ether sequestering agents, oxalates, or mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the step of chelating includes adding sodium citrate to the particulate material and the polymeric binder is an alkali metal salt of carboxymethyl cellulose.  
     
     
         13 . (canceled)  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the metal containing ore is iron ore.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising adding to the particulate material sodium carbonate and caustic.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the particulate material is iron ore, the polymeric binder is sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, the binding effective amount of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose ranges from about 0.005% to about 0.2% based on the weight of iron ore ranging from about 0.1 lb/ton to about 4.5 lbs/ton, the amount of sodium carbonate ranges from about 0.005% to about 0.07% based on the weight of the iron ore ranging from about 0.1 lb/ton to about 1.5 lbs/ton, the amount of caustic ranges from about 0.005% to about 0.05% based on the weight of the iron ore ranging from about 0.1 lb/ton to about 1.1 lb/ton, the step of chelating includes adding sodium citrate to the iron ore, and the amount of sodium citrate ranges from about 0.005% to about 0.1% based on the weight of the iron ore ranging from about 0.1 lb/ton to about 2.2 lbs/ton.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the interfering elements are sulfur, manganese, ferrous hydroxides, Ca 2+  ions, Mg 2+  ions or mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         18 . A method for agglomerating iron ore comprising: 
 adding a binding effective amount of a polymeric binder and sodium citrate to an iron ore which is otherwise difficult or impossible to form into agglomerates of sufficient strength; and    forming the iron ore into agglomerates.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said polymeric binder is guar, guar derivatives, carboxymethyl guar, hydroxypropyl guar, carboxymethylhydroxypropyl guar, modified starch, starch derivatives, carboxymethyl starch, pregelatinized starch, alginates, pectins, polyacrylamides and derivatives thereof, polyacrylates and copolymers thereof, polyethyleneoxides, cellulose derivatives and salts thereof, carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, carboxymethylhydroxyethyl cellulose, methylhydroxyethyl cellulose, carboxymethyldihydroxypropyl cellulose, xanthan gum, dairy wastes, wood related products, lignin, or mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the step of adding further includes adding sodium carbonate to the iron ore and the polymeric binder is an alkali metal salt of carboxymethyl cellulose.  
     
     
         21 . (canceled)  
     
     
         22 . (canceled)  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the iron ore is a hematite ore.  
     
     
         24 - 31 . (canceled)