Show consumption of reagents used in 1 n flotation on by thomas varley data on the consumption of reagents used in notation flotation during the years 1923 and 1924 in metallurgical plants in the united states are presented in this paper there is probably more secrecy in the matter of notation flotation reagents than any other thing in milling this may be due to the numerous patents issued and applied for on the reagents in use most of the information obtained in this article comes direct from the operators while some comes from published reports and some from private confidential sources the names of the individual companies are withheld as the information contained herein is for general use only the data here summarized were collected by special canvas of mill operators A few have not responded therefore this summary does not present true total figures nor can the tonnage of ore treated and concentrates produced be compared with those shown in mineral resources of the united states which have been separately collected and are not classified as to process of concentration used it is is believed that the figures in this report represent about 95 per cent of the total tonnage treated by flotation an important comparison is shown in the concentration ratios of 1923 and 1924 and the grade of concentrates made for these years the concentration ratio increasing from 1304 into one for 1923 to 1528 into one for 1924 with a corresponding increase in grade of concentrate showing improvement pro nent in metallurgical practice general remarks situation at present by referring to the tabulations it will be noted that the coal tars and coal tar creosotes creo are the heavy oils most generally used in the flotation of copper ores and pine oil for the froth agent the general practice has been to use sul pharic acid and petroleum acid sludge to form the acid circuits for the flotation of lead ores the hardwood creosotes creo seem to be most generally used while for zinc the pine oils seem to be more effective it might be said that during the latter part of the year 1924 flotation practice was undergoing a somewhat radical change and many plants operated experimental units using an alkaline circuit together with soluble frothing reagents such ich as the xantha tes As a result many have altered their practices j practices materially and at the present time great progress ill 1 l metallurgical efficiency is being made differential flotation practice or the flotation of one mineral from another or others in the presence of gangue is rapidly being perfected this is done not alone by the use of oils and acids or alkaline reagents but by chemicals and modifying agents which are positive in their r reactions exactions metallurgist bureau of mines on certain sulphide minerals while others are unaffected advantage is taken of these facts and chemical combinations can be added which retard certain minerals very materially teri ally in their degree of notability flot ability it is desirable of course to retard undesirable minerals such as pyrite and exclude them from lead and zinc minerals as well as from copper minerals where the dropping of pyrite can be effected without a sacrifice of a material amount of the desirable minerals consumption of reagents for all ores treated in 1923 returns showed that there were tons of ore treated by flotation from which tons of concentrates cen were produced showing a concentration ratio of 1304 tons into one the 1924 figure is tons of ore treated from which tons of concentrates were produced showing a concentration ratio of 1528 tons into one the 1919 figure was tons ore treated from which tons of concentrates were produced showing a concentration ratio of tons into one the total of all oils acids and reagents of all kinds used in 1923 was pounds equivalent to pounds per ton of ore for 1924 the total reagents used was pounds equivalent to pounds per ton toil this figure for 1919 was pounds of reagents equivalent to pounds per ton of ore gold silver ores there were tons of this class of ore reported treated in 1923 yielding tons of concentrates cen a concentration ratio of into one oils used were coal tar creosote and wood creosote no reports were received for 1924 graphite ores in 1923 tons 0 of f ore were reported treated yielding tons of concentrates a ratio rat io of concentration of into one reagents used were flotation oil pounds ag soline 2717 pounds and soda ash pounds no reports were received for 1924 copper ores by far the greater tonnage of ores treated by flotation were copper ores in some cases reports showed combined treatment by cavity concentration followed by flotation so that excluding leaching plants over the flotation 95 per cent of the copper ores were treated by process milled by flotation was during 1923 the ore reported as head of calculated assay tons with an average for 1924 was the figure 1 cent copper per of cent copper head assay per wit with calculated tops tons 1 1 a and the concentration ratio in 1923 was 1857 tons into one in 1924 2134 tons 1 nto into one alkaline acids the total amount of reagents ants including 1923 for ton toil pounds dould per averaged reagents ants oils etc ja lations below show and po pounds ands for 1924 the tabulations bu I 1 relative amounts of each used and calculated into pounds per ton of ore REAGENTS COPPER ORES 1923 1924 reagent eq in lbs ibs eq in lbs ibs I 1 I 1 pounds per ton pounds per ton coal tar coal tar creosotes creo wood creosotes creo pine oils acid sludge potassium scotch B F oil sodium sulphide lime sulphur X Y mixture other oils reagents 0 1 totals 1 1 these include such reagents as X calce cake reconstructed oils and small amounts of oils used for experimental purposes definite quantities of each are not listed lead and lead silver ores in the treatment of these types of ores flotation usually supplements gravity concentration cent ration and in some cases a large tonnage of material or tailing low in metal content can be discarded this is especially true in the southeast missouri lead district the returns show that in 1923 tons of ore of this type were milled tons or per cent by flotation the number of tons of concentrates produced by flotation was tons and the concentration ratio was 1306 into one figures for 1924 showed tons toils milled with tons or per cent by flotation producing tons of flotation concentrates and a concentration ratio of into one reagents used in 1923 totaled pounds equivalent to pounds per ton toil for 1924 the figures were pounds of reagents or equivalent to pounds per ton of ore treated REAGENTS SILVER LEAD ORES 1923 1924 reagent I 1 eq in ibs I 1 eq in lbs ibs pounds I 1 per ton toil pounds 1 per ton wood creosote oil 1 0 barrett no 4 1 0 pine oil pine tar flotation tar 1 fuel oil 4 3 12 J fa acid Q 1 turpentine other oils reagents 1 0 totals 1 0 0 13 4 1 0 67 f these include reagents which were not itemized by the operators at ors also small quantities used for experimental purposes zinc and lead zinc ores these two types of ores are grouped for the reason that the tonnage of strai straight zinc ores free from lead is not large and the reagents used are arc somewhat similar gravity concentration usually precedes flotation the total tonnage reported milled in 1923 was tons toils by flotation tons or per cent there were tons of zinc concentrates produced and tons of lead concentrates concentration ratio tons toils into one for 1924 the figures were total tons ore milled 2062 tons treated by flotation or per cent zinc concentrates produced tons toils lead concentrates produced tons the concentration ratio was tons tolls into one reagents used in 1923 were pounds equiha lent to pounds per ton of ore for 1924 the figures were pounds of reagents used equivalent to pounds per ton of ore REAGENTS ZINC AND LEAD ZINC ORES 1923 3 4 reagent I 1 eq in in ibs s1 sa eq in lbs ibs 1 pounds per ton pounds pound I 1 per ton pine oil 1 0 y 1 sulphur 1 wood creosote 1 1 acid 77 1 soda ash 1 nitre ditre cake 1 sodium silicate coal tar 1 1 naphthalene 1 sodium sulphite 1 other oils reagents 1 1 ai total 1 1 1 1 includes a variety of miscellaneous chemical compounds and oils used principally for experimental purposes the particular name of each material used and the amount of each not reported |