Abstract: A contact angle measurement system includes a housing that can hold a volume of a first fluid having a first density, an adjustable rock sample holder positioned within the housing, a fluid dropper attached to the housing, an image capturing a device, and a computer system. The holder can support a rock sample. An orientation of the holder relative to the housing is adjustable such that an outer surface of the rock sample is at a non-zero angle relative to a lower wall of the housing. When the orientation of the holder relative to the housing is such that the outer surface of the rock sample is at the non-zero angle relative to the lower wall, the fluid droplet traverses the outer surface of the rock sample. The image capturing device can capture images of the fluid droplet as the fluid droplet traverses the outer surface of the rock sample.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes providing agricultural grade gypsum to a mixing device using a conveyor, providing a fluid to the mixing device using a pump, mixing the agricultural grade gypsum with the fluid to produce a gypsum slurry using the mixing device, and pumping the gypsum slurry to a storage tank. In another embodiment a system includes a conveyor providing an agricultural grade gypsum, a pump providing a fluid, a mixing device configured to mix the agricultural grade gypsum provided by the conveyor with the fluid provided by the pump to produce a gypsum slurry, and a slurry pump configured to pump the gypsum slurry from the mixing device to a storage tank.

Abstract: The present invention discloses the use of Rhodococcus opacus bacteria for bioflotation of minerals of the apatite-quartz system, by adsorption on their surface and subsequent changing of the zeta potential, making them hydrophobic, in addition to reducing the surface tension of water.

Abstract: The present invention resides in a process of recovering nickel and cobalt, regenerating the main raw materials, said process including the steps of: granulometric separation; leaching; neutralization; MHP production in only one stage and the pressure crystallization of magnesium sulphite. The process proposes a way to recovery nickel and cobalt from laterite ores through the atmospheric and heap leaching with staged addition of ore—by size separation—and H2SO4, decreasing the nickel losses and simplifying the neutralization circuit and producing a more purified MHP. The present process route is employed for nickel extraction, including the one from high magnesium containing lateritic ores.

Abstract: The present invention, named Bunge/Fosfertil process, is applicable at different lithologies of phosphate ore with carbonated-silica matrix from igneous and sedimentary sources, i.e., consists of comminutioning the ore by crushing, homogenization, milling and disliming, prior to the apatite flotation. The dislimed and milled ore pulp with solids concentration above 40%, being initialy conditioned with a depressor reactant, a vegetable source polymer gelled with sodium hydroxide solution; and subsequently, submitted to a conditioning with a scavenger reactant of the sulphosuccinate or sulphosuccinamate groups. This pulp conditioned with reactants goes to the apatite flotation in a circuit comprising the “rougher”, “scavenger”, “cleaner” and “recleaner” steps. In all steps of the circuit flotation the carbon dioxide gas may be added up to saturation of such gas in the temperature and pressure conditions of the pulp.

Abstract: A method for etching phosphate ores includes a single-pass digesting of ores which P205 content is greater than 20% in weight by a hydrochloric aqueous acid solution having an HCI concentration less than 10% by weight with an etching solution formation and the separation of the insoluble solid phase and the aqueous phase of the etching solution. Preneutralization of the etching solution is accomplished by a neutralizing agent prior to the separation in such a way that the etching solution pH which is less than pH to which an important part of phosphate ions in solution precipitates in the form of calcium monohydrogen phosphate (DCP) is adjusted and in subsequently neutralizing the separated aqueous phase in such a way that a pure DCP is precipitated.

Abstract: A metal sulfate alcohol composition as well as a process to produce such composition is disclosed. Also disclosed is a process to produce polyester containing the metal sulfate alcohol composition.

Abstract: A method of preparing a phosphoric acid salt which includes at least one attack on phosphate ore by an aqueous solution of hydrochloric acid, with the formation of an attack liquor, a first separation, in the attack liquor, between an insoluble solid phase and an aqueous phase, a neutralization of the separated aqueous phase by the addition of a calcium compound in order to form, with phosphate ions contained in this aqueous phase, a calcium phosphate insoluble in water, which precipitates, and a second separation, in the neutralized aqueous phase, between a liquid phase and a precipitated solid phase based on the calcium phosphate insoluble in water, wherein the attack on the phosphate ore includes dissolving the phosphate in the ore, the attack liquor containing this phosphate in the form of phosphate ions, and the solid phase separated from the attack liquor contains impurities and the aqueous phase separated from the attack liquor contains the phosphate ions thereof, chloride ions and calcium ions, this a

Abstract: Phosphate rock is reacted with phosphoric acid to produce monobasic calcium phosphate. Monobasic calcium phosphate is reacted with ammonium carbonate to produce ammonium phosphate. Dibasic calcium phosphate is also produced as a by-product when monobasic calcium phosphate reacting with ammonium carbonate. The dibasic calcium phosphate is reacted with sulfuric acid to produce phosphoric acid. The phosphoric acid is used to react with phosphate rock. Ammonium sulfate or ammonium hydroxide may be used instead of ammonium carbonate. Phosphate other than ammonium phosphate can be produced if calcium phosphate is reacted with x-y to produce x-phosphate, where x is lithium, sodium, ammonium or potassium and y is carbonate, bicarbonate hydroxide or sulfate.

Abstract: A method for the production of phosphoric acid comprising a phosphate ore attack by a first aqueous chlorohydric acid solution, separation in the attack liquor between a solid insoluble phase containing impurities and a separate aqueous phase comprising phosphate ions in a solution, chloride ions and calcium ions, neutralization of said attack phase separated from the liquor by adding a calcium compound so that water-insoluble calcium phosphate can be formed with said phosphate ions, precipitating a separation in said neutralized aqueous phase comprising chloride ions and calcium ions in a solution and a solid precipitated phase based on said water-insoluble calcium phosphate, and solubilization of at least one part of the precipitated solid phase in a separated manner in a second aqueous chlorohydric acid solution, with formation of an aqueous solution containing phosphate ions, chloride ions and calcium ions to be extracted by an organic extractant in a liquid-liquid-type extraction.

Abstract: A process is provided for the production of dicalcium phosphate form a phosphate source material in which a solution of phosphoric acid is produced by the action of a suitable mineral acid, generally sulphuric acid, on a phosphate source material. Calcium fluoride is precipitated at a pH of between 3.5 and 4.5 followed by hydrolyzing the solution by diluting it with water to a ratio of approximately 1:7 to about 1:10 monocalcium phosphate to water at a temperature of approximately 40 degrees Centigrade to form a primary precipitate containing substantially all of the fluoride present as CaF2 together with some dicalcium phosphate and a primary calcium and phosphate containing solution. The primary precipitate is dissolved, the pH adjusted to form 3.5 to 4.5 and the hydrolyzation repeated to form a secondary precipitate containing substantially all of the fluoride present as CaF2 together with some dicalcium phosphate and a secondary calcium and phosphate containing solution.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for producing phosphoric acid, which consists in: at least an attack of phosphate ore with an attacking liquid containing soluble phosphate ions, forming of an attacking product, separating in the attacking product between an insoluble solid phase containing impurities and a liquid phase having soluble phosphate ions and calcium ions, introducing in the separated liquid phase an acid stronger than phosphoric acid and which forms, with said calcium ions, a soluble calcium salt, and isolating a solution of said calcium salt, not contaminated by the impurities, thereby obtaining a phosphoric acid solution.

Abstract: Phosphoric acid, essentially free from impurities, is prepared by reacting aqueous hydrofluoric acid with phosphate in particles of calcium bearing phosphate rock to form a calcium fluoride pseudomorph solid from which filter-grade phosphoric acid is separated. By reacting the pseudomorph solid with sulfuric acid and thermally treating the reaction product, the HF can be liberated and recycled back to the reaction step of the process. All of the impurities from the phosphate rock are contained in the resulting CaSO4.

Abstract: There is disclosed a wet process for the recovery of phosphate from phosphate rock which comprises leaching finely divided particles of phosphate rock with a protic acid at a temperature and for a time that favours dissolution, into a leachate, of the phosphate in relation to an impurity, and, isolating the leachate. An appropriate combination of particle size, leach time and leach temperature can achieve high phosphate recovery while reducing the amount of impurities.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of recovering elemental phosphorus from a sludge that contains water, dirt, and elemental phosphorus. In the first step, the sludge is melted. A mixture is formed of the melted sludge and about 0.5 to about 5 wt % of an oxidizing agent, based on the weight of elemental phosphorus in the sludge, and about 75 to about 580 wt % water, based on the weight of the sludge. The mixture is stirred until a continuous elemental phosphorus phase forms. The purified phosphorus phase is separated from the mixture.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for producing calcium fluoride. The process comprises (a) mixing phosphate rock with aqueous H2SiF6 at ambient temperature for at least one hour; (b) nucleating the calcium fluoride in the slurry prepared in step (a) by reacting the slurry at a temperature and for a time sufficient to initiate and sustain nucleation of calcium fluoride and SiO2 by-product; (c) aggregating the SiO2 by-product by heating the slurry produced in step (b) at a temperature of about 90° C. to about 105° C. for at least 0.5 hours; and (d) recovering a calcium fluoride-containing product of an average particle size of less than 1 micron.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of recovering elemental phosphorus from a sludge that contains water, dirt, and elemental phosphorus. In the first step, the sludge is melted. A mixture is formed of the melted sludge and about 0.5 to about 3 wt % of an oxidizing agent, based on the weight of said elemental phosphorus in the sludge, and about 75 to about 400 wt % water, based on the weight of the sludge. The mixture is stirred until a continuous elemental phosphorus phase forms. The purified phosphorus phase is separated from the mixture.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for producing calcium fluoride comprising: (a) mixing aqueous H3PO4 with aqueous H2SiF6 to form a mixture such that the concentration of H3PO4 is at least about 3 moles/liter, (b) adding phosphate rock to the mixture at a rate such that the pH of the mixture is maintained at less than about 1.0 and at a temperature sufficient to form a second mixture containing calcium fluoride, and (c) separating calcium fluoride from the second mixture.

Abstract: A method of producing dicalcium phosphate from calcium phosphate includes reacting the calcium phosphate with a mineral acid such as sulphuric acid to produce a calcium salt and phosphoric acid. The calcium salt may then be hydrolyzed to form a calcium alkali which may then be reacted with the phosphoric acid to produce dicalcium phosphate. Also, a method of producing monocalcium phosphate from calcium phosphate includes reacting the calcium phosphate with sulphuric acid to produce monocalcium phosphate. The monocalcium phosphate may be further processed to remove fluorine contamination and to produce fluorine-free dicalcium phosphate or dicalcium phosphate dihydrate.