Patent ID: 6044978
Filing Date: 2000-04-04
Classification: B03D

Abstract:
A process for the recovery of valuable sulfide copper, nickel and platinum group metal (PGM) mineral ores consisting of: providing a slurry of such ores; conditioning the slurry with one or more of suitable reagents including activators, collectors, frothers and depressants; subjecting the slurry to additional conditioning with a non-oxidizing gas comprising one or more members selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, argon, carbon dioxide, methane, propane and ethane in a quantity conducive to achieve a dissolved oxygen level below 1.0 ppm thereby enhancing the separation of the sulfide minerals from the remainder of said ores, and subsequent to said conditioning, subjecting the slurry to a final flotation treatment with a gas having a higher oxygen content than said non-oxidizing gas to thereby recover said minerals.