Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for filtering slurries of minerals or other fine particles. The apparatus includes a filter plate having an interior porous support layer and a microporous metal filtration layer overlying the support layer, the pore sizes in the filtration layer preferably being in the range of from about 0.2 to 3 microns. The side of the filtration layer non-adjacent the support layer constitutes a filter surface for the mineral.

Abstract: A method for filtering an aqueous mineral slurry and collection of the mineral as product. The slurry is flowed through a filter plate of the type characterized by a porous support layer and an overlying microporous metal filtration layer, with flow through the filter plate during filtration being from the filtration layer side toward the base layer and being effected by establishing a fluid pressure differential across the filter plate. The filtration layer preferably comprises a sintered metal, with a relatively narrow pore size distribution, i.e. one wherein substantially all of the pores are less than 5 .mu.m.

Abstract: An improvement is disclosed which is applicable to the method for filtering an aqueous mineral slurry by flowing the slurry through a ceramic filter plate which is characterized by a porous support layer and an overlying porous filtration layer, the pore sizes in said filtration layer being in the range of from about 1 to 3 .mu.m, and the flow through the filter plate being from the filter layer side toward the base layer, and being effected by establishing a fluid pressure differential across the said filter plate by applying suction to the the porous support layer. The improvement facilitates effective discharge of the filter cake from the plate which accumulates upon the porous filtration layer. According to such improvement the suction is extinguished and the support layer side of the plate is subjected to one ore more positive water pressure pulses to effect a transient reverse flow through the plate.

Abstract: An apparatus for filtering slurries of minerals or other fine particles is disclosed. The apparatus includes a ceramic filter plate and a fluid flow device for drawing a partial vacuum across said filter plate and to supply a pulsed liquid to the filtrate side of said filter plate. The apparatus also includes an oscillating device that facilitates removal of cake which accumulates on the filter plate when sued simultaneously with or successively with said pulsed liquid.