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Patented May 20, 194 2,243,044 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,243,044 TREATMENT OF SECA ORES George C. Westby, Seattle, Wash., assignor to Soluble Silicates Process Company, Inc., a cor poration of Washington Applicatiosa April 17, 1937, Seria. No. 137,594 4 (Cairns. (83. 23-i6) This invention relates to an improved com Variations introduced by commercial necessity mercial process and apparatus for treating sili and claim as novel the steps so taken by me cates, silicate ores, mixed Silicate and oxide ores, Which are introduced as part of the process. or Sulphide Ores containing silica, to produce an In carrying out the process as applied to the alkaline silicate from which to derive water glass 5 treatment of silicified manganese ore, I prefer Or Other Coinnercially pure silicates while con to use caustic soda, as the primary alkaline re Currently producing metallic oxides, sulphides, agent although other alkaline reagents or So or other concentrates. dium Sulphate and carbon Would serve. In gen The main object of the process is to simplify eral, mixed ore and caustic are charged into a the method and reduce the cost of producing O cast iron treatment chamber wherein a tempera water glass and Various metals through the act ture preferably approximating 570 F. is main of deriving valuable constituents of the original tained in an Oxidizing atmosphere, thus effecting Ores by means of an alkaline or alkaline earth decomposition of the ore to form a silicate of metal reagent, regenerating, if desired, the orig Soda, Varying in composition from Na2O.SiO2 to inal reagent or an effective Substitute therefor. 5 Na2O.2SiO2, also sodium manganate with vary A Specific object is to accelerate the reactions ing amounts of sodium permanganate. Depend induced by the application of the process by pro ing on the composition of the ore, introduction Viding physical factors secured by (1) fine grind of elements as Sodium, potassium, aluminum, ing, (2) development of an easily soluble alka iron, lime and magnesium may occur in the melt. line silicate, (3) use of excess reagent, (4) use of 20 The molten material as discharged from the pressure in excess of atmospheric, (5) use of furnace is shredded preferably by wet steam heated solutions, (6) rapid circulation of react under pressure, but a Wet air jet or an alkaline ing substances, and (7) abrasion of the pulveru solution jet under pressure might be used. lent material of reaction in order to remove inert Soluble water glass and sodium manganate compounds from the surface of ore particles. 25 form in the strongly alkaline solution while iron An important Specific object is to provide for Oxide, calcium and magnesium carbonates sep the elimination of alkaline combinations inti arate Out under the established condition as an mately adsorbed by precipitated oxides or other in Soluble residue which may be discharged as a forms developed in the process. discard or retreated as desired. The insoluble In order to make apparent the general opera residue is filtered off and the hot solution of tion of the process, I submit the course to be Water gla,SS and SOdium manganate is transferred followed in a Special case. Silicate or manganese to a tank, while still hot carbonaceous material ores are chosen for illustration to show the such as crude Sugar, pulverized coal, sawdust, method of producing Water glass and free oxides etc., being added to the alkaline solution. Hy of manganese by means of my process. The drated manganese oxide separates out of solution reactions on which the process in this special With regeneration of sodium hydrate (Equation case depend are as follows: 4). The strongly alkaline solution of sodium Silicate may be charged into the milling circuit, discharging to the furnace, or preferably mixed 40 With silica (diatomaceous earth) in proportions to form any desired ratio of soda, to silica by heating the same under pressure in a preferred form of apparatus to be later described. The precipitated hydrated oxide is Washed and 45 dried but it is necessary in order to form an oxide Suitable for battery or paint pigment uses to eliminate adsorbed soda, compounds. I have found even after much boiling that a residuum remains. To overcome the difficulty I add, to the 50 Wetted. Oxide, annoniuin chloride in Sufficient aimounts to react on the Sodium hydrate com As in most commercial processes it is neces pound and form annonia, and sodium chloride. sary to establish fixed conditions in order to ap Free ammonia, is boiled off, recovered as such or proximate the definite result indicated in the re annonium chloride is regenerated as in the am actions. I provide in the present process for nonia-Soda process. The sodium chloride is 2 2,243,044 easily washed from the oxide residue. Use of an are added to the mill to avoid dusting as Well as ammonium salt is made in the case of any alka to insure intimate wetting of particles, provide a line separation of Solids in the general applica carrying agent for the alkali in a queous Solution, tion of my process with occasional use of the hy initiate action of the alkali on free quartrosema drochloric acid incidentally generated in the de- 5 terial, and thoroughly mix the maSS in prepara composition of ammonium chloride. tion for discharge to the furnace hopper. In certain cases as in the elimination of cal An automatic feeder continuously charges the cium carbonate or oxide from a manganese re mixed materials to the furnace. sidue I would utilize NH4Cl as in the equation: The furnace may consist of several forms but O the preferred type utilizes caustic soda, at ten peratures approximating 600 F. under atmos Where economic conditions are such that chlo pheric pressure. A cast iron pan made up of rine may be cheaply generated as in the manu lapping plates to form steps Which Work down facture of sodium hydrate which is used in my Wardly toward the discharge forms the furnace process, I would utilize the gas in neutralizing 5 hearth which is covered by a silica brick rever the adsorbed sodium in residues and form hypo beratory-form roof supported by refractory side chlorites of the metal. Walls. The furnace is rectangular and prefer The preferred form of apparatus is adapted ably furnished with vertical cast iron stirrers to the complete cycle of treatment. Wherein it is Operating through Water-cooled apertures in the essential that all parts of the process are inter roof, the stirrers in the case of manganese Ores locking in the derivation of Water glass, Sepa 20 acting to accelerate aeration of the charge and in ration of metal compounds from the Water glass general to abrade the ore particles in Order to solution, and elimination of impurities from the positively remove inactive substances from the concentrates so that the ultimate COSt Of Chlo surfaces of the particles and to prevent local con rinating adsorbed alkali is balanced by a genera centrations of alkali or alkaline or silicate com tion of a more valuable reagent. 25 pounds. There should be a slow continuous cur As a general flow sheet wherein manganese rent of molten material through the furnace ore is treated, the following is given: from the elevated head end toward a discharge Silicate ore, containing MnSiO3, SiO2, CaCO3, Fe2O3 Crusher Ball or tube mill-Concentrated NaOH solution added Alkali-Hopper (ratio, alkali to ore, 2:1) Automatic feed Furnace, operated at allowed heat Melt Molten ischarge Wet steam jet Wet shredded materia Heat applied to concentrated solution Residue Fe2O3 (MnO2) Separately otsolution Na2O.SiO2 CaCO3 treated Na2MnOs Carbonaceous substance NaSiO3 Solution Wet MnO (Adsorbed NaO) - NaOH Regenerated forming a manganite NaOE Excess NHCl Diatomaceousother SiO2 formearth or Heat Neutralization to form Fiter NH4OH Na2O.SiO2 or other forIns k Na2O3SiO, MnO (MARKET) or regenerate (MARKET) ash NEC (MARKET) NC (Might be used in NigCl regeneration) MnO, YRatio s —Nao 1:1 Rast NaMnO NaMnO4) (MARKET) Due to insoluble impurities that may form on 65 Which may consist of a covered launder arranged ore particles as they are reacted on there is in to cascade the molten stream while kept hot by some cases a tendency for the primary action to the confined furnace gases. become much slower as the cycle of the proceSS As the molten material leaves the launder in proceeds. For this reason a special form of ap a free falling stream it is shredded by means paratus has been developed by me but while it 70 of a jet of wet steam or by a blast of wet air or accelerates the process it is not essential to the an alkaline or other reagent liquid stream. By operation of the method. With reference to the this means the heat of the melt is conserved referred-to fine grinding, this is performed by and a Concentrated hot solution is formed which recognized crushing and pulverizing equipment is regulated to a strength best adapted to the but hot alkaline solutions and the alkaline charge 75 preparation of the desired water glass. After 2,243,044 3 separation of the metallic by-product from the state and with an excess of caustic soda to a fur alkaline water glass Solution, the liquid is charged nace, maintaining an oxidizing atmosphere while with the computed silica, required for formation heating the same to produce a fused mass of of the desired specific silicate and introduced into Sodium hydrate, Sodium manganate, sodium per the apparatus used in manufacture of Water glass. manganate, Sodium silicate, sodium ferrate, and A form of apparatus which I have designed for a suspended unacted-on residue, shredding the this purpose insures removal of calcareous and molten stream as the same issues from the fur other inert surface impurities by means of abra nace in the presence of an aqueous solution to Sion and thoroughly and continuously agitates disintegrate the stream and leave the undissolved under pressure the Whole alkali-silica-alkaline 0 residue While taking the soluble components of Silicate mixture.