Abstract: A system includes a collection processor configured to receive tailings of a flotation process, the tailings having mineral particles of interest; and at least one collection apparatus located in the collection processor. The collection apparatus has a collection surface configured with a functionalized polymer having molecules with a functional group that attract the mineral particles of interest to the collection surface. The flotation process has scavenger circuits that provide scavenger circuit feeds having scavenger tails. The system features enhanced scavenger circuits having the collection apparatus located in the collection processor and configured to receive the scavenger circuit feeds and provide enhanced scavenger circuit feeds having enhanced scavenger tails and enhanced scavenger concentrate for further processing by the system.

Abstract: Apparatus uses engineered collection media to recover mineral particles in a mineral extraction process, e.g., for processing a tailings stream at the end of a flotation separation process. The engineered collection media are added to slurry/tailings containing the mineral particles. The engineered collection media have collection surfaces coated with a chemical selected for attracting the mineral particles to the collection surfaces so the engineered collection media becomes mineral laden media in the slurry/tailings in a loading stage. The apparatus include three stages: removing unwanted material from mineral laden media; using a stripping agent to strip the mineral particles from the mineral laden media; and separating the engineered collection media from the mineral particles and the stripping agent. The stripping agent is reused for stripping, and the engineered collection media are returned to the loading stage. The engineered collection media can have a smooth or foam-like surface.

Abstract: A modified selective recirculation circuit has a loading stage, a stripping stage and a filtering stage for use in processing a feed stream or slurry containing mineral particles. The stripping stage forms a first loop with the loading stage, a second loop with the filtering stage. The loading stage has a loading mixer and a loading washing screen. The stripping stage has a stripping mixer and a stripping washing screen. The loading mixer receives the slurry and causes barren media in the circuit to contact with the slurry so that the mineral particles in the slurry are loaded onto the barren media. The media is directed to the stripping stage where the mineral particles are removed from the media. The barren media is recycled to the loading stage. The stripping solution recovered from the filtering stage is returned to the stripping stage and the mineral particles are discharged as concentrate.

Abstract: Apparatus uses engineered collection media to recover mineral particles in a slurry. The apparatus has a tumbler cell and a rotation device to rotate the tumbler cell. The tumbler cell has a container to hold a mixture of the engineered media and the slurry containing the mineral particles. The container is turned such that at least part of the mixture in the upper part of the container is caused to interact with at least part of the mixture in the lower part of the container. As such, the contact between the engineered media and the mineral particles is enhanced. The surfaces of the engineered media are functionalized with a chemical having molecules to attract the mineral particles to the surfaces so as to form mineral laden media. After the mineral laden media are discharged from the tumbler cell, the mineral particles can be separated from the engineered media by stripping.

Abstract: A system for sensing the volume and/or viscosity of a slurry (e.g., like concrete) contained in a rotating container or drum, having a sensor and a signal processor. The sensor is configured to attach inside a rotating container or drum having a known geometry, sense angular positions of the sensor and also sense associated entry and exit points when the sensor enters and exits the slurry, including concrete, contained in the rotating container or drum, and provide signaling containing information about the angular positions and the associated entry and exit points. The signal processor receives the signaling, and determines corresponding signaling containing information about a volumetric amount, or a viscosity, or both, of the slurry in the rotating container or drum, based upon the signaling received.

Abstract: A mineral extraction system features at least one hydrocyclone, each having input piping, underflow piping, a cyclone portion and overflow piping; a particle size measurement device arranged on some part of the at least one hydrocyclone and configured to sense particles flowing in a process medium, and providing signaling containing information about the size of the particles in the process medium; and a controller having a signal processor configured to receive the signaling, and determine control signaling to control some part of the mineral extraction system, based upon the signaling received.

Abstract: A system for separating mineral particles of interest from an ore features mineral processing operations/stages/circuits configured to receive an ore, or mineral particles or concentrates formed by processing the ore, and provide processed mineral particles or concentrates, or a waste stream, for further enhanced mineral separation downstream processing; an enhanced mineral separation processor having a collection apparatus located therein, the collection apparatus having a collection surface configured with a functionalized polymer including molecules having a functional group configured to attract the mineral particles of interest to the collection surface, the enhanced mineral separation processor receive the processed mineral particles or concentrates, or the waste stream, and provide further enhanced downstream processed mineral particles or concentrates, or a further enhanced downstream processed waste stream; and a high intensity conditioning operation, stage or circuit configured to apply a high inten

Abstract: A synthetic bead for use in mineral separation is described. The synthetic bead has a surface made of a synthetic material such as polymer and the synthetic material is functionalized with molecules having a functional group for attaching mineral particles to the surface in a separation process. The synthetic beads can be placed in flotation cell containing a mixture of water, valuable material and unwanted material or in a pipeline where the mixture is transported from one location to another. The enriched synthetic beads carrying the mineral particles are separated from the unwanted materials in the mixture. The mineral particles are then released from the synthetic beads by means of low pH treatment, ultrasonic agitation, thermal or electromagnetic treatment.

Abstract: A system includes a learning network having a signal processor configured to: receive learned signaling containing information about representative samples of conditions related to operating states of a hydrocyclone and characterized as learned samples of each condition when the learning network is trained, and raw signaling containing information about raw samples containing information about the current operation of the hydrocyclone; and determine corresponding signaling containing information about an operating state of the current operation of the hydrocyclone based upon a comparison of the learned signaling and the raw signaling.

Abstract: A plurality of collection surfaces for use in an aqueous slurry has a polymeric coating to provide a compliant and sticky surface. The polymer coating has a chemical to render the surface hydrophobic so as to attract hydrophobic or hydrophobized mineral particles in the slurry. The substrate can take the form of a conveyor belt, a bead, a mesh, an impeller, a filter or a flat surface. The substrate can also be an open-cell foam. The collection surfaces having the mineral particles attached thereon are caused to interact with liquid and supercritical carbon dioxide so that the mineral particles can be stripped from the collection surfaces.

Abstract: A system is provided for processing a circulating load in comminution circuit of a mineral separation process for separating mineral particles of interest from an ore, featuring: a coarse screen and an enhanced mineral separation circuit (EMSC). The coarse screen may be configured to receive a cyclone underflow having mineral particles of interest and forming part of the circulating load of the comminution circuit, and provide coarse screen feeds for further processing.

Abstract: The present invention provides a new method and apparatus for receiving signals containing information about a plurality of velocity profiles of a flow in a pipe and about a pressure gradient of the flow over a length of the pipe; and determining information about an injection of a chemical into the flow in the pipe based at least partly on the information contained in the signals.

Abstract: A flotation tank has an input to receive a slurry from a pipeline section. The slurry contains finer mineral particles and coarser mineral particles. The pipeline section has one or more loops or coiled sections arranged to perform partial centrifugal separation on the finer and coarser mineral particles. As the mineral particles are moved tangentially into the lower part of the flotation tank, the coarser mineral particles tend to be near the tank wall while the finer mineral particles tend to move into the central part of the tank. Air bubbles or lightweight synthetic bubbles are used to collect and lift the finer mineral particles to the upper part of the tank. The coarser mineral particles are recovered by using collection surfaces coated with a hydrophobic material.

Abstract: A copper/molybdenum separation processor is provided featuring a slurry/media mixture stage configured to receive a conditioned pulp containing hydrophobic molybdenite and hydrophilic copper, iron and other minerals that is conditioned with sodium hydrosulfide together with an engineered polymeric hydrophobic media, and provide a slurry/media mixture; and a slurry/media separation stage configured to receive the slurry/media mixture, and provide a slurry product having a copper concentrate and a polymerized hydrophobic media product having a molybdenum concentrate that are separately directed for further processing. The slurry/media mixture stage include a molybdenum loading stage configured to contact the conditioned pulp with the engineered polymeric hydrophobic media in an agitated reaction chamber, and load the hydrophobic molybdenite on the engineered polymeric hydrophobic media.

Abstract: Apparatus, such as a flotation separation device, features a flotation cell or column configured to receive a mixture of water, valuable material and unwanted material; receive polymer-based materials, including polymer bubbles or beads, configured to attach to the valuable material in the mixture; and provide enriched polymer-based materials, including enriched polymer bubbles or beads, having the valuable material attached thereon.

Abstract: A synthetic bead for use in mineral separation is described. The synthetic bead has a surface made of a synthetic material such as polymer and the synthetic material is functionalized with molecules having a functional group for attaching mineral particles to the surface in a separation process. The synthetic beads can be placed in flotation cell containing a mixture of water, valuable material and unwanted material or in a pipeline where the mixture is transported from one location to another. The enriched synthetic beads carrying the mineral particles are separated from the unwanted materials in the mixture. The mineral particles are then released from the synthetic beads by means of low pH treatment, ultrasonic agitation, thermal or electromagnetic treatment.