Abstract: A phosphate ore beneficiation process wherein phosphate ore containing coarse, weathered dolomite in the flotation feed thereof is subjected to beneficiation as follows: Said feed is sent to rougher phosphate flotation wherein it is treated with fatty acid and fuel oil and wherefrom is removed the coarse weathered dolomite in one or more cleaner phosphate flotations, without the use of additional flotation reagents added thereto, to thereby remove the coarse carbonate, i.e., dolomite fraction, which fraction would not otherwise float in subsequent carbonate flotation. In many instances this process effects reduction of the carbonate, as MgO contamination in the final concentrate, to less than about 1.0 percent by weight. Process feed can be prepared from the coarse pebble waste or the conventional flotation feed of the original phosphate matrix.

Abstract: A phosphate ore flotation process comprising subjecting a phosphate ore containing surface-activated silica and silicates to froth flotation in the presence of a fatty-acid collector, recovering the phosphate concentrate from the overflow; removing the fatty acid collector from the phosphate concentrate in the presence of a sulfuric acid deoiling agent; subjecting the phosphate concentrate to a reversed froth flotation in the presence of a silica collector and a modifier, said silica collector being an amine and said modifier being either alkyl diphosphonic acid, or being HF; removing the separated silica from the overflow; and recovering the phosphate product in the underflow. The process of the present invention not only overcomes the problems of activated silica flotation, but also results in greatly improved grade and/or recovery of phosphate product in comparison to present conventional phosphate ore flotation processing.

Abstract: A phosphate ore flotation process subjecting a phosphate ore containing carbonate mineral impurities to froth flotation in the presence of modifying agents, said modifying agents being alkyl phosphonic acids and hydrofluoric acid, and a collector, said collector being fatty acids; collecting the phosphate and carbonate minerals as rougher concentrate from the overflow; subjecting the phosphate and carbonate mineral concentrate to a differential desorption with an acid to remove the fatty acid from the surface of the phosphate mineral; removing the separated carbonate minerals from the overflow; and recovering the phosphate values in the underflow.

Abstract: A phosphate ore fllotation process subjects a phosphate ore containing silica and silicates to froth flotation in the presence of a collector, said collector being a C.sub.36 high molecular weight dibasic acid comprising two carboxylic functional groups, recovering the phosphate concentrate from the overflow, and removing the separated silica and silicates in the underflow. The dibasic acids should be used in conjunction with fuel oil, not only to reduce the reagent consumption, but also to increase the grade and recovery of phosphate concentrate. The selectivity of some of these collectors is so great than an acceptable phosphate rock concentrate can be obtained from the phosphate ore in a single anionic circuit.

Abstract: A phosphate ore flotation process subjecting a phosphate ore containing carbonate mineral impurities to froth flotation in the presence of phosphate depressants, said depressants are alkyl phosphonic acids, and a carbonate collector, said collector is fatty acids, removing the separated carbonate minerals from the overflow, and recovering the phosphate value in the underflow. The process of the present invention can be performed either prior to or after the separation of siliceous matter from phosphate minerals by methods known in the art.

Abstract: A phosphate ore flotation process subjects a phosphate ore containing silica and silicates to froth flotation in the presence of a collector, said collector being a C.sub.54 high molecular weight tribasic acid comprising three carboxylic functional groups, recovering the phosphate concentrate from the overflow, and removing the separated silica and silicates in the underflow. The tribasic acids should be used in conjunction with fuel oil, not only to reduce the reagent consumption, but also to increase the grade and recovery of phosphate concentrate. The selectivity of this collector is so great that an acceptable phosphate rock concentrate can be obtained from the phosphate ore in a single anionic circuit.

Abstract: mixtures of the isomers of C.sub.18 and C.sub.16 branched-chain saturated fatty acids have been demonstrated to be satisfactory substitutes as flotation reagents in Florida phosphate rock flotation in place of commercial crude, refined, or blended tall oils, or other straight-chain aliphatic fatty acids derived from vegetive sources in which the unsaturated aliphatic fatty acid components are the principal or most effective flotation reagents, as opposed to the corresponding saturated straight-chain fatty acids. The title reagents consisting of saturated branched-chain fatty acids of similar carbon content (C.sub.16 - C.sub.18) can be used alone as acids, or as soap derivatives, or in blended mixtures with fuel oil, which reduces reagent comsumption and also increases the grade and recovery of phosphate concentrate.

Abstract: A phosphate ore flotation proces subjects a phosphate ore containing silica and silicates to froth flotation in the presence of a collector, said collector being a C.sub.36 high molecular weight dibasic acid comprising two carboxylic functional groups, recovering the phosphate concentrate from the overflow, and removing the separated silica and silicates in the underflow. The dibasic acids should be used in conjunction with fuel oil, not only to reduce the reagent consumption, but also to increase the grade and recovery of phosphate concentrate.

Abstract: A phosphate ore flotation process subjects a phosphate ore containing silica and silicates to froth flotation in the presence of a collector, said collector being a C.sub.54 high molecular weight tribasic acid comprising three carboxylic functional groups, recovering the phosphate concentrate from the overflow, and removing the separated silica and silicates in the underflow. The tribasic acids should be used in conjunction with fuel oil, not only to reduce the reagent consumption, but also to increase the grade and recovery of phosphate concentrate.

Abstract: A phosphate ore beneficiation process to remove undesirable carbonate mineral components by flotation by subjecting a deslimed phosphate ore flotation feed containing the carbonate mineral impurities to a froth flotation treatment in the presence of a phosphate depressant, said depressant being alkyl phosphonic acids including alkyl diphosphonic acids such as hydroxyethylidene diphosphonic acid, and a carbonate mineral collector reagent, said collector being a fatty acid or mixtures thereof; removing the carbonate mineral overflow so obtained by froth flotation; and recovering the phosphate value in the underflow product of said flotation process. The process can be performed either prior to or after the conventional flotation separation treatment for removing siliceous mineral contaminants from the phosphate mineral by methods known to the art.

Abstract: A phosphate ore flotation process subjecting a phosphate ore containing carbonate mineral impurities to froth flotation in the presence of modifying agents, said modifying agents being alkyl phosphonic acids and hydrofluoric acid, and a collector, said collector being fatty acids; collecting the phosphate and carbonate minerals as rougher concentrate from the overflow; subjecting the phosphate and carbonate mineral concentrate to a differential desorption with an acid to remove the fatty acid from the surface of the phosphate mineral; removing the separated carbonate minerals from the overflow; and recovering the phosphate values in the underflow.

Abstract: A phosphate ore flotation process comprising subjecting a phosphate ore containing surface-activated silica and silicates to froth flotation in the presence of a fatty-acid collector, recovering the phosphate concentrate from the overflow; removing the fatty acid collector from the phosphate concentrate in the presence of a sulfuric acid deoiling agent; subjecting the phosphate concentrate to a reverse froth flotation in the presence of a silica collector and a modifier, said silica collector being an amine and said modifier being either alkyl diphosphonic acid, or being HF; removing the separated silica from the overflow; and recovering the phosphate product in the underflow. The process of the present invention not only overcomes the problems of activated silica flotation, but also results in greatly improved grade and/or recovery of phosphate product in comparison to present conventional phosphate ore flotation processing.