Method for separating coke from a feed mixture containing zirconium and radioactive materials by flotation process

• US 5,188,809 A
• Filed: 08/31/1990
• Issued: 02/23/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Teledyne Industries Incorporated (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Teledyne Industries Incorporated (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Riesen, Jon A., Peterson, John R., Haygarth, John C., Crocker, William A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Walsh, Donald P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAI, NGOCLAN THI
• Application Number:
  US07/575,817
• Time in Patent Office: 907 Days
• Field of Search: 252/626, 241/20, 241/21, 209/165, 423/461, 423/2, 423/252, 423/253
• US Class Current: 423/2
• CPC Class Codes: B03D 1/02 Froth-flotation processes
• CPC Class Codes: C22B 34/14 Obtaining zirconium or hafnium treatment or purification of solutions by liquid-liquid extraction, by ion exchange or by adsorption C22B3/00, C01G25/003, C01G27/003
• CPC Class Codes: C22B 60/00 Obtaining metals of atomic number 87 or higher, i.e. radioactive metals

Abstract

A process for separating a feed mixture of zirconium and petroleum coke containing traces amount of radioative materials by flotation process utilizing a plurality of flotation cells. The process comprises grinding the feed mixture, slurrying the ground feed mixture with water, treating the slurry with a flotation agent and a collector for the coke and subjecting the treated slurry to air sparging and agitation to create an overflow and an underflow. The overflow is then filtered to collect substantially zircon-free coke for further processing.

Claims

1. In a process of separating a feed mixture of zircon, coke and trace amounts of radioactive materials employing a plurality of flotation cells the improvement which comprises the steps of:

a) grinding said feed mixture;

b) slurring said ground feed mixture with water;

c) treating said slurry with a flotation agent and a collector for the coke;

d) in a first cell, agitating the slurry and sparging said agitated slurry with air and providing a first underflow and a first overflow in said first cell;

e) removing the first underflow of said slurry substantially free of coke;

f) removing the first overflow to a second cell, agitating and air sparging said overflow, wherein a second underflow is created and added to the feed of the first cell and a second overflow is created

g) removing the second overflow to a third cell, agitating and air sparging said second overflow creating a third underflow and overflow, which overflow is filtered to collect substantially zircon-free coke for further processing and whose underflow is added to the feed of the second cell; and

h) removing radioactive materials including Ra, U, and Th where Ra is present in the coke after flotation at less than about 5.0 pCi/gm.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein the feed mixture is ground to a size sufficient to pass about a 48 mesh screen.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein the substantially zircon-free coke is recovered as a floated product having less than about 90% weight percent of the original feed mixture and having a radium content of less than about 5.0 pCi/gm.