Patents by Inventor Peter Amelunxen

Peter Amelunxen has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11752506
    Abstract: A reactor system has a number of stations arranged to recover mineral particles in a slurry. The system includes a hopper to receive the slurry and barren media having hydrophobic coating to attract the mineral particles. The hopper provides a mixture of barren media and slurry to a tumbler arranged to stir the mixture in order to increase the contact between the slurry and the barren media so as to allow the mineral particles to attach to the barren media to form mineral laden media. The mineral laden media are conveyed to a rinsing station where water jets are used to wash the gangue materials off the mineral laden media. The rinsed mineral laden media are mixed with a surfactant so that the mineral particles are released from the mineral laden media. High-pressure water and air jets are then used to remove remaining surfactant from the released media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: CIDRA CORPORATE SERVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Mark R. Fernald, Paul J. Rothman, Paul Dolan, Kirk Johnson, Patrick Tuxbury, Sandeep Balasubramanyam, Peter A. Amelunxen, Timothy J. Bailey, Adam Jordens, Joseph Nord
  • Patent number: 11642679
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: CiDRA Corporate Services LLC
    Inventors: Paul J. Rothman, Adam Michael Jordens, Peter A. Amelunxen
  • Publication number: 20230020934
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2022
    Publication date: January 19, 2023
    Inventors: PAUL J. ROTHMAN, Mark R. FERNALD, Peter A. AMELUNXEN, Paul DOLAN, Timothy BAILEY, Michael RYAN
  • Patent number: 11517918
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: CiDRA Corporate Services LLC
    Inventors: Paul J. Rothman, Mark R. Fernald, Peter A. Amelunxen, Paul Dolan, Timothy Bailey, Michael Ryan
  • Patent number: 11440026
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: CiDRA Corporate Services LLC
    Inventors: Paul J. Rothman, Mark R. Fernald, Peter A. Amelunxen, Paul Dolan, Timothy J. Bailey, Michael Ryan
  • Patent number: 11247214
    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
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: CIDRA CORPORATE SERVICES LLC
    Inventors: Paul J. Rothman, Adam Michael Jordens, Peter A. Amelunxen
  • Patent number: 11247212
    Abstract: A reactor system has a number of stations arranged to recover mineral particles in a slurry. The system includes a hopper to receive the slurry and barren media having hydrophobic coating to attract the mineral particles. The hopper provides a mixture of barren media and slurry to a tumbler arranged to stir the mixture in order to increase the contact between the slurry and the barren media so as to allow the mineral particles to attach to the barren media to form mineral laden media. The mineral laden media are conveyed to a rinsing station where water jets are used to wash the gangue materials off the mineral laden media. The rinsed mineral laden media are mixed with a surfactant so that the mineral particles are released from the mineral laden media. High-pressure water and air jets are then used to remove remaining surfactant from the released media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: CIDRA CORPORATE SERVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Mark R. Fernald, Paul J. Rothman, Paul Dolan, Kirk Johnson, Patrick Tuxbury, Sandeep Balasubramanyam, Peter A. Amelunxen, Timothy J. Bailey, Adam Jordens, Joseph Nord
  • Publication number: 20220023876
    Abstract: A reactor system has a number of stations arranged to recover mineral particles in a slurry. The system includes a hopper to receive the slurry and barren media having hydrophobic coating to attract the mineral particles. The hopper provides a mixture of barren media and slurry to a tumbler arranged to stir the mixture in order to increase the contact between the slurry and the barren media so as to allow the mineral particles to attach to the barren media to form mineral laden media. The mineral laden media are conveyed to a rinsing station where water jets are used to wash the gangue materials off the mineral laden media. The rinsed mineral laden media are mixed with a surfactant so that the mineral particles are released from the mineral laden media. High-pressure water and air jets are then used to remove remaining surfactant from the released media.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2021
    Publication date: January 27, 2022
    Inventors: Mark R. FERNALD, Paul J. ROTHMAN, Paul DOLAN, Kirk JOHNSON, Patrick TUXBURY, Sandeep BALASUBRAMANYAM, Peter A. AMELUNXEN, Timothy J. BAILEY, Adam JORDENS, Joseph NORD
  • Patent number: 11066725
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: CIDRA CORPORATE SERVICES LLC
    Inventors: Paul J. Rothman, Adam Michael Jordens, Peter A. Amelunxen
  • Patent number: 11060165
    Abstract: A copper/molybdenum separation system uses sea water in the roughing circuit and desalinated water in cleaning circuit. In both roughing circuit and cleaning circuit, hydrophobic engineered media are used to recover the mineral particles of interest. The cleaning circuit includes a molybdenum loading stage configured to contact the conditioned pulp with the engineered media in an agitated reaction chamber, and load the hydrophobic molybdenite on the engineered media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: CIDRA CORPORATE SERVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Mark A. Fernald, Paul J. Rothman, Peter A. Amelunxen
  • Patent number: 10981181
    Abstract: A 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, and 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: CiDRA Corporate Services Inc.
    Inventors: Paul J. Rothman, Mark R. Fernald, Peter A. Amelunxen
  • Publication number: 20210086197
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Publication date: March 25, 2021
    Inventors: Paul J. ROTHMAN, Mark R. FERNALD, Peter A. AMELUNXEN, Paul DOLAN, Timothy J. BAILEY, Michael RYAN
  • Publication number: 20210071283
    Abstract: A copper/molybdenum separation processor is provide 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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2020
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Inventors: Paul J. ROTHMAN, Mark R. FERNALD, Peter A. AMELUNXEN
  • Patent number: 10845289
    Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for static sedimentation tests comprising a plurality of sedimentation cylinders, which are subject to the same mixing conditions, said apparatus comprises: a. A variable number of transparent sedimentation cylinders, the most common being 12; b. Each sedimentation cylinder is located inside a non-intrusive emitter and receiving sensor housing where each housing has an electronic ID card, electronic circuit boards and connection to a control system; c. A support structure containing the sedimentation cylinders and sensor housings which rotates around an axis of rotation; d. Each sedimentation cylinder has a bottom stopper and top stopper; e. Where each bottom stopper of each sedimentation cylinder is mounted on a lateral bar parallel to the rotation axis, by a fixing to the supporting structure; f. Also the sedimentation cylinders are fixed in the supporting structure by a clamping system around the top stopper of each sedimentation cylinder g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: AVOCA ENGINEERS SPA
    Inventors: Jonathan Engels, Peter Amelunxen
  • Patent number: 10807105
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: CiDRA CORPORATION SERVICES LLC
    Inventors: Paul J. Rothman, Mark R. Fernald, Peter A. Amelunxen, Paul Dolan, Timothy J. Bailey, Michael Ryan
  • Patent number: 10774400
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: CiDRA Corporate Services LLC
    Inventors: Paul J. Rothman, Mark R. Fernald, Peter A. Amelunxen
  • Publication number: 20200261924
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2016
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Inventors: PAUL J. ROTHMAN, Mark R. FERNALD, Peter A. AMELUNXEN, Paul DOLAN, Timothy BAILEY, Michael RYAN
  • Publication number: 20200206749
    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
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2018
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: Paul J. ROTHMAN, Adam Michael JORDENS, Peter A. AMELUNXEN
  • Publication number: 20200114370
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2018
    Publication date: April 16, 2020
    Inventors: Paul J. ROTHMAN, Adam Michael JORDENS, Peter A. AMELUNXEN
  • Publication number: 20200040428
    Abstract: A copper/molybdenum separation system uses sea water in the roughing circuit and desalinated water in cleaning circuit. In both roughing circuit and cleaning circuit, hydrophobic engineered media are used to recover the mineral particles of interest. The cleaning circuit includes a molybdenum loading stage configured to contact the conditioned pulp with the engineered media in an agitated reaction chamber, and load the hydrophobic molybdenite on the engineered media.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2017
    Publication date: February 6, 2020
    Inventors: Mark A. FERNALD, Paul J. ROTHMAN, Peter A. AMELUNXEN