Binder Composition For The Agglomeration Of Fine Minerals And Pelletizing Process

Abstract

The instant invention relates to a binder composition for pelletization of fine mineral particles comprising a) at least one colloid agent which exerts a cohesive force on the mineral particles forming the pellets, and b) at least one synthetic polymer which disperses mineral particles evenly in the pellets.

1 . A binder composition for pelletization of fine mineral particles comprising
 a) at least one colloid agent which exerts a cohesive force on the mineral particles forming the pellets, and   b) at least one synthetic polymer which disperses mineral particles in the pellets.   wherein the synthetic polymer is a condensation product of at least one aldehyde and at least one compound containing at least two NH 2  groups,   where the compound containing at least two NH 2  groups is represented by the formula   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein 
         X is an aliphatic, straight chain, branched or cyclic residue containing 1-10 carbon atoms or an aromatic residue containing 1-10 carbon atoms, both of which may contain oxygen, nitrogen atoms or one or more additional amino groups, and 
         where the aldehyde is represented by the formula 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein 
         R is H, —CHO or an aliphatic hydrocarbyl residue containing 1-4 carbon atoms which may contain oxygen atoms. 
       
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said colloid agent is selected from the group consisting of calcium compounds, magnesium compounds, clay minerals and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 2 , wherein the calcium or magnesium compound is selected from the group consisting of calcium oxide, hydrated lime, calcium carbonate, calcium oxide, magnesium oxide, calcium hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 2 , wherein the clay mineral is selected from the group consisting of phyllossilicates, Serpentine, Kaolinite, Talc, Pyrophyllite, Micas (phlogopite, muscovite, and biotite), Illite (hydrous mica), Vermiculite, Smectites and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the aldehyde is selected from the group consisting of formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, propanale, pivaldehyde and glyoxal. 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the compound containing at least two NH 2  groups is selected from the group consisting of urea, 1,6-hexane diamine, diethylene triamine, 1,2-cyclohexane diamine, melamine, 1,2-diaminobenzene and 1,8-diaminonaphthalene. 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the synthetic polymer is selected from the group consisting of melamine-urea formaldehyde resin, urea-formaldehyde resin, melamine-formaldehyde resin, melamine-glyoxal formaldehyde resin and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the synthetic polymer has a weight average molecular weight in the range between 500 and 500,000 g/mol, determined by GPC against polystyrene. 
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the colloid agent is present in a range of from 0.001% to 0.6% by weight of mineral ore. 
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 9 , wherein the colloid agent is present in a range from 0.02% to 0.4% by weight. 
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the synthetic polymer is present in a range of from 0.01% to 1% by weight of mineral ore. 
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 11 , wherein the synthetic polymer is present in a range from 0.05% to 0.6% by weight. 
     
     
         13 . A mineral composition, comprising a binder composition according to  claim 1 , and a mineral selected from the group consisting of iron ore, taconite, magnetite, hematite, limonite, goethite, siderite, franklinite, pyrite, chalcopyrite, chromite, ilmenite, chrome ore, copper ore, nickel ore, zinc ore, lead ore, uranium ore, barium ore, phosphate rock, talc, dolomite, limestone, potassium sulfate, potassium chloride, double sulfate of potassium and magnesium, magnesium oxide, calcium phosphate, carbon black, coal, coal fines, calcite, quartz and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         14 . A process for pelletizing fine mineral ores, the process comprising the steps of
 a) mixing the fine mineral ore with a binder composition according to  claim 1 , to obtain a pellet feed,   b) forming the pellet feed into balls (green pellets),   c) drying the balls,   d) preheating the dried balls at 60 to 105° C. until constant weight, and   e) subsequently heat the preheated balls to a temperature of 1200° C. to 1400° C. to obtain pellets.   
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A binder composition for pelletization of fine mineral particles comprising
 a) at least one colloid agent which exerts a cohesive force on the mineral particles forming the pellets, and   b) at least one synthetic polymer which disperses mineral particles in the pellets,   wherein the synthetic polymer is a copolymer obtained by a radical polymerization of an unsaturated monomer with an acrylic acid derivative,   the unsaturated monomer is represented by the formula   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein 
         Y is hydrogen, OH or a residue containing 1 to 10 carbon atoms and at least one oxygen atom, one nitrogen atom or one aromatic moiety, 
         the acrylic acid derivative is represented by the formula 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein 
         R is H or CH 3  and 
         X is OH, NH 2 , OR′, NHR″ or NR′″R″″, the groups R′—R″″ are independently from each other aliphatic hydrocarbon groups having 1 to 6 carbon atoms. 
       
     
     
         17 . The composition of  claim 16 , wherein the colloid agent is selected from the group consisting of calcium compounds, magnesium compounds, clay minerals and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The composition of  claim 17 , wherein the calcium or magnesium compound is selected from the group consisting of calcium oxide, hydrated lime, calcium carbonate, calcium oxide, magnesium oxide, calcium hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The composition of  claim 17 , wherein the clay mineral is selected from the group consisting of phyllossilicates, Serpentine, Kaolinite, Talc, Pyrophyllite, Micas (phlogopite, muscovite, and biotite), Illite (hydrous mica), Vermiculite, Smectites, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The composition of  claim 16 , wherein the acrylic acid derivative is selected from the group consisting of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, acrylamide, methacrylic amide, N,N-dimethylacrylamide, N,N-dimethylmethacrylamide and ammonium acryloyldimethyltaurate 
     
     
         21 . The composition of  claim 16 , wherein Y is selected from the group consisting of residues of the formula —OR wherein R is H, —C(═O)H, —C(═O)CH 3 , C(═O)CH 2 CH 3 , C(═O)CH 2 CH 2 CH3, C(═O)CH(CH 3 ) 2 , and C(═O)C(CH 3 ) 3 . 
     
     
         22 . The composition of  claim 16 , wherein Y is selected from vinylalcohol, vinylacetate, vinylformiate, vinylpyrrolidone, dimethyldiallylammoniumchloride and styrene. 
     
     
         23 . The composition of  claim 16 , wherein the synthetic polymer is a maleic acid/acrylic acid or a maleic acid/methacrylic acid copolymer. 
     
     
         24 . The composition of  claim 16 , wherein the synthetic polymer is selected from the group consisting of styrene-acrylic copolymer, vinyl-acrylic copolymer, vinyl acetate-acrylic copolymer, acrylic-maleic copolymer, diallyl dimethyl ammonium chloride-acrylamide copolymer, ammonium acryloyldimethyltaurate-vinylpyrrolidone copolymer and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         25 . The composition of  claim 16 , wherein the synthetic polymer has a weight average molecular weight in the range between 500 and 500,000 g/mol, determined by GPC against polystyrene. 
     
     
         26 . The composition of  claim 16 , wherein the colloid agent is present in a range of from 0.001% to 0.6% by weight of mineral ore. 
     
     
         27 . The composition of  claim 26 , wherein the colloid agent is present in a range from 0.02% to 0.4% by weight. 
     
     
         28 . The composition of  claim 16 , wherein the synthetic polymer is present in a range of from 0.01% to 1% by weight of mineral ore. 
     
     
         29 . The composition of  claim 28 , wherein the synthetic polymer is present in a range from 0.05% to 0.6% by weight. 
     
     
         30 . A mineral composition, comprising a binder composition according to  claim 16 , and a mineral selected from the group consisting of iron ore, taconite, magnetite, hematite, limonite, goethite, siderite, franklinite, pyrite, chalcopyrite, chromite, ilmenite, chrome ore, copper ore, nickel ore, zinc ore, lead ore, uranium ore, barium ore, phosphate rock, talc, dolomite, limestone, potassium sulfate, potassium chloride, double sulfate of potassium and magnesium, magnesium oxide, calcium phosphate, carbon black, coal, coal fines, calcite, quartz and mixture thereof. 
     
     
         31 . A process for pelletizing fine mineral ores, the process comprising the steps of
 a) mixing the fine mineral ore with a binder composition according to  claim 16 , to obtain a pellet feed,   b) forming the pellet feed into balls (green pellets),   c) drying the balls,   d) preheating the dried balls at 60 to 105° C. until constant weight, and   e) subsequently heat the preheated balls to a temperature of 1200° C. to 1400° C. to obtain pellets.   
     
     
         32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . A binder composition for pelletization of fine mineral particles comprising
 a) at least one colloid agent which exerts a cohesive force on the mineral particles forming the pellets, and   b) at least one synthetic polymer which disperses mineral particles in the pellets,   wherein the colloid agent is selected from the group consisting of calcium oxide, hydrated lime, calcium carbonate, calcium oxide, magnesium oxide, calcium hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide and mixtures thereof.   
     
     
         34 - 41 . (canceled) 
     
     
         42 . The composition of  claim 33 , wherein the synthetic polymer is a homopolymer obtained by radical polymerization of an olefinically unsaturated monomer comprising at least one carboxylic group. 
     
     
         43 . The composition of  claim 42 , wherein the olefinically unsaturated monomer comprising at least one carboxylic group is selected from the group consisting of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, vinyl acetate, vinyl formiate, vinyl propionate, maleic acid, maleic acid anhydride and fumaric acid. 
     
     
         44 . The composition of  claim 33 , wherein the synthetic polymer is selected from the group consisting of vinyl acetate polymer, poly(maleic anhydride), polycarboxylate, sodium salt of poly-naphthalene sulfonic acid, dimethylamine-epichlorohydrin copolymer and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         45 . The composition of  claim 33 , wherein the synthetic polymer has a weight average molecular weight in the range between 500 and 500,000 g/mol, determined by GPC against polystyrene. 
     
     
         46 . The composition of  claim 33 , wherein the colloid agent is present in a range of from 0.001% to 0.6% by weight of mineral ore. 
     
     
         47 . The composition of  claim 46 , wherein said range is from 0.02% to 0.4% by weight. 
     
     
         48 . The composition of  claim 33 , wherein the synthetic polymer is present in a range of from 0.01% to 1% by weight of mineral ore. 
     
     
         49 . The composition of  claim 48 , wherein the range is from 0.05% to 0.6% by weight. 
     
     
         50 . A mineral composition, comprising a binder composition according to  claim 33  and a mineral selected from the group consisting of iron ore, taconite, magnetite, hematite, limonite, goethite, siderite, franklinite, pyrite, chalcopyrite, chromite, ilmenite, chrome ore, copper ore, nickel ore, zinc ore, lead ore, uranium ore, barium ore, phosphate rock, talc, dolomite, limestone, potassium sulfate, potassium chloride, double sulfate of potassium and magnesium, magnesium oxide, calcium phosphate, carbon black, coal, coal fines, calcite, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         51 . A process for pelletizing fine mineral ores, comprising the steps of
 a) mixing a fine mineral ore with a binder composition according to  claim 33  to obtain a pellet feed,   b) forming the pellet feed into balls (green pellets),   c) drying the balls,   d) preheating the dried balls at 60 to 105° C. until constant weight, and   e) subsequently heating the preheated balls to a temperature of 1200° C. to 1400° C. to obtain pellets.   
     
     
         52 . (canceled)