Collector and frothing agent for flotation based on organic residues to recover metals from minerals by froth flotation, collector and frothing agent recovery process and foaming flotation process that uses the collector and frothing agent

Abstract

The present invention involves a multifunctional frothing agent with collector and frothing functions for frothing flotation processes to recover valuable metals from minerals, based on organic residues selected from biosolids from wastewater treatment plants, organic sludge from biogas production systems, compost hydrosoluble organic matter or other similar biologically treated or stabilized organic in aerobic or anaerobic conditions, industrial sludge from industrial organic liquid waste treatments, hydrosoluble organic matter from vegetal peat, manure, dung or a combination of two or more of these, or a fraction of them, representing between 35% and 98% organic matter, apparent density between 0.2 and 0.8 g/mL, a pH between 6.0 and 8.5, an electrical conductivity between 4.0 and 15 mS/cm. It also involves the process of the multifunctional collector and frothing agent recovery (collector and frothing agent) and the frothing flotation process that uses the multifunctional agent disclosed in this investigation.

1 . Collector and foaming agent for froth flotation processes in the recovery of commercially valuable metals from sulfide minerals (copper, zinc, lead, iron, molybdenum, etc.) or non-sulfide (gold, etc.) CHARACTERIZED by comprising organic waste derived from treatment processes or aerobic or anaerobic decomposition, or from just a fraction of them (extract). 
     
     
         2 . The collector and foaming agent of  claim 1 , CHARACTERIZED by comprising organic waste derived from treatment process or selected aerobic or anaerobic decomposition of biosolids and/or manure and/or humic substances. 
     
     
         3 . The foaming and collector agent of  claim 2 , CHARACTERIZED by biosolids comprising between 35% and 98% organic matter on a dry basis 
     
     
         4 . The foaming and collector agent of  claim 3 , CHARACTERIZED by biosolids preferably comprising between 40% and 60% organic matter on a dry basis. 
     
     
         5 . The foaming and collector agent of  claim 2 , CHARACTERIZED by biosolids comprising between 1 and 25% humic substances. 
     
     
         6 . The collector and foaming agent of  claim 5 , CHARACTERIZED by humic substances preferably comprising between 1% and 25% fulvic acids and preferably between 5% and 15% humic acids. 
     
     
         8 . The foaming and collector agent of  claim 2 , CHARACTERIZED by humic substances comprising between 20% and 70% carbon. 
     
     
         9 . Collector and foaming agent of  claim 8 , CHARACTERIZED by humic substances preferably comprising between 40% and 60% carbon. 
     
     
         10 . Production process of foaming and collector agent of  claim 1 , CHARACTERIZED by comprising:
 Collecting organic waste from treatment processes or aerobic or anaerobic decomposition, or just fraction of them (extract) from generating sources of organic matter and determining properties such as organic matter and humic substances content.   Conditioning of the collected material in the previous stage by the following steps:
 Dehydrating the collected material to a moisture content less than or equal to 75%; 
 Reduction of size and separation of the dried material by milling and sieving to obtain material with a size less than or equal to 10 millimeters (mm); 
 Compacting the obtained material from the previous step to form pellets or briquettes. 
   
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 10 , CHARACTERIZED by the collected material dehydration to a moisture content less than or equal to 20%. 
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 10 , CHARACTERIZED by comprising the additional step of packaging the compacted material. 
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 10 , CHARACTERIZED by the conditioning step subjecting the collected material to liquid extraction. 
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 13 , CHARACTERIZED by the liquid extraction is carried out using acid-base extraction, which performs a pH reduction between 1 and 2 with a strong acid at room temperature, adjusting the solution volume with acid until obtaining a ratio between 1:5 and 1:10 organic residue:acid solution (weight:volume), on dry basis, stirring the suspension for a period of time less than or equal to 10 hours, and separating and reserving the supernatant fraction solid for a subsequent PH adjustment of the solid fraction to neutrality with a strong base at room temperature, adjusting the volume of the solution with a base to obtain a ratio between 1:5 and 1:10, solid fraction:basic solution (mass:volume), stirring the suspension for a period of time less than or equal to 10 hours, separating and reserving the second supernatant from the second solid fraction; mixing the supernatant of the first and second stages to obtain the extract by extracting with water as aqueous extractant, adjusting the volume of the solution with water in a range between 1:5 and 1:10, organic residue:water (volume:volume) on dry basis, at room conditions, stirring the suspension for a period of time less than or equal to 10 hours, and removing and reserving the supernatant (extract) of the solid fraction. 
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 14 , CHARACTERIZED by packaging the extract obtained. 
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 14 , CHARACTERIZED by the strong acid selected from HCl, H 2 SO 4  Or H 3 PO 4 . 
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 14 , CHARACTERIZED by the strong base selected from KOH or NaOH. 
     
     
         18 . Froth flotation process for the recovery of commercially valuable metals from sulfide or non-sulfide ores, CHARACTERIZED by comprising the steps of:
 Reducing the size of sulfide or non-sulfide minerals to a particle size below 400 microns by first, second and third crushing, and afterwards, semi-autogenous or conventional grinding;   Conditioning of the mineral ground into a pulp by mixing:   a. the ground mineral;   b. water to obtain a mineral pulp with a range from 5% to 20% of solids weight   c. PH modifiers such as lime, strong bases such as KOH, NaOH, among others, and   d. The collector and foaming agent from any of the  claims 1 - 9 ;   Receiving the conditioned pulp in a flotation device, water is then added to obtain a pulp with a range of 20% to 50% of solids weight;   Stirring to keep the material in suspension, preferably at a speed in a range of 40 rpm to 500 rpm, more preferably between 70 rpm and 90 rpm and aerating such pulp with a stream between 5 and 200 cubic meters per minute for a period of time 2 to 20 minutes, concentrating the valued metal in a foam and depressing a flotation tail, and   Collecting the foam rich in this metal of commercial value as metal concentrate.   
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 18 , CHARACTERIZED by amounts smaller or equal to 30% of the collector and foaming agent mineral weight are added. 
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 19 , CHARACTERIZED by amounts between 5% and 20% of the collector and foaming agent mineral weight are added. 
     
     
         21 . The process of any of the  claim 18 ,  19  or  20 , CHARACTERIZED by water is added in an amount between 30% and 40%. 
     
     
         22 . The process of any of  claim 18 ,  19 ,  20  or  21 , CHARACTERIZED by comprising the following:
 placing the tail in a second flotation equipment to collect a second metal of commercial value; 
 conditioning the tail using:
 collector and foaming agent liquid extract from any of  claims 1 - 9 , and 
 pH Modifiers, such as lime, strong bases such as KOH, NaOH, etc.; 
 
 Subjecting the conditioned tail to a second froth flotation, stirring to keep the material in suspension, preferably at a speed in a range of 70 to 90 rpm and aerating with a stream of 5 to 200 cubic meters per minute for a period of time 2 to 20 minutes, concentrating the second metal in a foam and depressing the gangue; 
 collecting the foam rich in the second metal of commercial value as metal concentrate of commercial value. 
 leaving the tail (tailings) for final destination following the procedures and pre-established methods. 
 
     
     
         23 . The process of  claim 22 , CHARACTERIZED by smaller quantities or equal to 30% of collector and foaming agent mineral weight are added. 
     
     
         24 . The process of  claim 23 , CHARACTERIZED by amounts between 5% and 20% of the collector and foaming agent mineral weight are added. 
     
     
         25 . The use of the collector and foaming agent of any of  claims 1 - 9 , CHARACTERIZED by its usefulness in froth flotation of sulfide ores (copper, zinc, lead, iron, molybdenum, etc.) or non-sulfide (gold, etc.). 
     
     
         26 . The use of  claim 25 , CHARACTERIZED by its usefulness in froth flotation of chalcopyrite (CuFeS 2 ) and mixtures of minerals (chalcocite, Cu 2 S, covellite, CuS, bornite, Cu 5 FeS 4 , among others). 
     
     
         27 . The use of  claim 25 , CHARACTERIZED by its usefulness in froth flotation of copper sulfide minerals that contain pyrite (FeS 2 ). 
     
     
         28 . The use of  claim 25 , CHARACTERIZED by its usefulness in the flotation of minerals CuFeS 2 /FeS 2 . 
     
     
         29 . The process of  claim 22 , CHARACTERIZED by also collectors and/or traditional auxiliary foaming agents are added in combination with collectors and frothers from any of  claims 1 - 9 . 
     
     
         30 . The process of  claim 29 , CHARACTERIZED by the traditional auxiliary collector that is selected from hydrocarbon compounds containing anionic and cationic polar groups. 
     
     
         31 . The process of  claim 29 , CHARACTERIZED by the auxiliary traditional frother that is selected from dihydrocarbonated alcohols of low molecular weight. 
     
     
         32 . The process of  claim 30 , CHARACTERIZED by the hydrocarbonate compound that is selected from fatty acids, xanthates, xanthate esters, dithiocarbamates, mercaptans, tiureas and tionocarbamatos. 
     
     
         33 . The process of  claim 31 , CHARACTERIZED by the dihydrocarbonated alcohol that is selected from methyl isobutyl carbinol, MIBC, polyglycol pine oils, polyglycol monoesters and alcohol ethoxylates. 
     
     
         34 . The process of  claim 10 , CHARACTERIZED by it comprises collecting organic waste from treatment or decomposition processes of sanitary sludge (biosolids).