Abstract: An admixture of waste (oil-well) drill cuttings, drilling fluid and by-products of rotary drilling are separated into good-quality water and high-density solids by chemical and mechanical means in original earthen-mud storage and/or reserve pits. The treatment produces two useful benefits: (1) good-quality water (useful for agriculture or for drilling a new well) is recovered, and (2) resulting concentrated solids are of such a high density that the land area occupied by and containing such dewatered solids can be immediately leveled and restored to the same use it had before the well was drilled. The effect is a reduction in energy of at least 75 to 85 percent over the present method of hauling whole mud off by trucks to a commercial waste-disposal site.

Abstract: This invention relates to the use of zirconium compounds and complexes thereof as flotation aids in a wide variety of systems.

Abstract: Aqueous slurries of fine coal are dewatered by a process which comprises mixing a mixture of a water-soluble organopolysiloxane and a water-emulsifiable organopolysiloxane with the slurry, separating the slurry to recover the fine coal and further drying the fine coal, if desired. The use of a mixture of a water-soluble organopolysiloxane and a water-emulsifiable organopolysiloxane unexpectedly provides improved separating and/or improved drying of fine coal compared to a dewatering process that uses only one of the organopolysiloxanes.

Abstract: For removing potassium salts from distiller's wash, an acid the potassium salts of which are poorly soluble and an organic solvent are added to the wash, whereafter the precipitated salts are collected on a filter and the solvent is recovered by distillation.

Abstract: The rate of filtration of a coal liquid slurry is increased by adding polyisobutylene and an alcohol containing 2 to 10 carbon atoms to the slurry prior to filtration or by adding the alcohol to the slurry and washing a precoat cake of filter aid with an oil solution of polyisobutylene prior to filtration. Although the polyisobutylene and the alcohol each provides a filtration rate improving effect when used alone, a synergistic improvement in filtration rate is achieved by their combined use.

Abstract: The rate of filtration of a coal liquid slurry is increased by adding an alkylmethacrylate copolymer and an alcohol containing 2 to 10 carbon atoms to the slurry prior to filtration or by adding the alcohol to the slurry and washing a precoat cake of filter aid with an oil solution of an alkylmethacrylate copolymer prior to filtration. Although the alkylmethacrylate copolymer and the alcohol each provide a filter rate improving effect when used alone, a synergistic improvement in filtration rate is achieved by their combined use.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method of purifying aqueous media, in which the aqueous medium is treated under agitation, preferably air agitation, with a product which is prepared from lignin sulphonate, at least one cerium salt and aluminium sulphate. Use of the disclosed product for purifying aqueous media also falls within the scope of the invention.

Abstract: The rate of filtration of a coal liquid slurry is increased by adding an alkylmethacrylate copolymer to the slurry prior to filtration or by washing a precoat cake of filter aid with an oil solution of the alkylmethacrylate copolymer prior to filtration.

Abstract: The rate of filtration of a coal liquid slurry is increased by adding ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer to the slurry prior to filtration or by washing a precoat cake of filter aid with an oil solution of ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer prior to filtration.

Abstract: Phosphate slimes are effectively settled by the sequential addition of effective amounts of a low molecular weight acrylamide: acrylic acid copolymer of high anionicity and a high molecular weight acrylamide: acrylic acid copolymer of low anionicity.

Abstract: Tailings slurry from fluorspar flotation is clarified and purified by sequential addition of a cationic polygalactomannan derivative and a poly(ethylene oxide).

Abstract: Poly(beta-alanine) acts as an effective flocculant in water treatment, especially those waters containing colloidal suspensions. In solution, these polymers exhibit a degree of metastability of significance in the flocculation of effluent substrates.

Abstract: An admixture of waste (oil-well) drill cuttings, drilling fluid and by-products of rotary drilling are separated into good-quality water and high-density solids by chemical and mechanical means in original earthen-mud storage and/or reserve pits. The treatment produces two useful benefits: (1) good-quality water (useful for agriculture or for drilling a new well) is recovered, and (2) resulting concentrated solids are of such a high density that the land area occupied by and containing such dewatered solids can be immediately leveled and restored to the same use it had before the well was drilled. The effect is a reduction in energy of at least 75 to 85 percent over the present method of hauling whole mud off by trucks to a commercial waste-disposal site.

Abstract: Mineral and coal concentrates are effectively dewatered by a process wherein there is employed a dewatering aid comprising of an N-substituted sulfosuccinamate. The process provides for mixing the dewatering aid to an aqueous slurry of the concentrate and thereafter subjecting the treated slurry to filtration.

Abstract: The aqueous slime waste product of a phosphate ore beneficiation process is dewatered by agglomerating the solids thereof using a conditioner and a hydrophobic bridging liquid.

Abstract: Use of an effective amount of a precipitant or sequestrant for calcium ions improves performance of anionic polymeric carboxylic acid flocculants in flocculating phosphate slimes.