Method for dispersing and aggregating components of mineral slurries and high-molecular weight multivalent polymers for clay aggregation

摘要

The disclosure relates generally to the use of polymers to assist in aggregating mineral components in aqueous mineral slurries to release and separate individual components of the slurry, which may then be recovered from the slurry.

主权项

1. A method of treating an aqueous mineral slurry to disperse and separate the components of the slurry, to enhance recovery of components of the slurry, and to enhance dewatering of solids in the resulting residual slurry for water recovery and solids reclamation, said method comprising:
(a) providing an aqueous slurry comprising slurrying water and monovalent-form clay; (b) optionally adding to the slurry of (a) a sodium or potassium zeolite having a weight ratio of aluminum to silicon in the range of about 0.72:1 to about 1.3:1 in an amount sufficient to disperse and separate the clay to form a dispersed slurry; and, (c1) adding to the slurry of (a) sufficient quantities of a water solution of a polymer reactive with said clay, said polymer being selected from the group consisting of water-soluble multivalent cation-containing acrylate copolymers, to cause the polymer to react with the clay of (a) to cause the clay to immediately begin to floc and settle to form a product comprising a floc and supernatant water, thereby enhancing separation and subsequent recovery of the clay and enhancing subsequent water removal and consolidation of residual components of the product; or (c2) adding to the dispersed slurry of (b) sufficient quantities of a water solution of a polymer reactive with said clay and said zeolite, said polymer being selected from the group consisting of water-soluble multivalent cation-containing acrylate copolymers, to cause the polymer to react with the zeolite to immediately neutralize the dispersive effect of the zeolite in (b) to cause the clay to immediately begin to aggregate and settle to form a product comprising a flocced aggregate and supernatant water, thereby enhancing separation and subsequent recovery of the clay and enhancing subsequent water removal and consolidation of residual components of the product; and, (d) optionally adding to the product of (c1) or (c2) a cationic coagulant or cationic flocculant to improve the strength of the floc and/or floc drainage and/or to improve the clarity of the supernatant water.