Patent Application no.

132/MUM/2005

Title: Selective separation of phosphate minerals from other minerals , using aminotris
(methylenephosphonic acid) , and diethylenetriaminepentakis (methylenephosphonic
acid) as depressants.

Inventors: Pradip (Dr.,), Rai Beena (Dr.), P. Satish and Kokil Sandhya

Brief Description:
According to the invention, Aminotris (methyelephosphonic acid) and
Diethylenetriaminepentakis (methylenephosphonic acid) are used for selective separation
of phosphate minerals from other minerals.
The present invention comprises a process for separation of phosphate minerals from
other minerals present in the phosphate ore. The process is particularly applicable to high
dolomite containing phosphate ores.
The molecular structures of the depressant molecules used are shown below.
Chemical Name Molecular Structure
Aminotris (methylenephosphonic acid) (PA1) O OH
P OH
CH2
N
H2C CH2
HO P P OH
HO OH
O O
Diethylenetriaminepentakis O OH O OH
(methylenephosphonic acid) (PA2) P P OH
OH
H2C CH2
N CH2 CH2 N CH2 CH2 N
H2C CH2 CH2
OH
P P OH P OH
OH OH OH
O O O

The new depressants investigated in this invention are highly effective for apatite
beneficiation. Significant enrichment is achieved in a single stage flotation only. Though
the ore contained a high proportion of MgO (13.3%), its content in the beneficiated rock
was reduced to 1.5% in a single step of rougher flotation.
The dosage of the new depressant required is only about 0.6 Kg/T, which is lower than
that of a conventional depressant for apatite by an order of magnitude. The optimal
conditioning pH is higher at 5.5-7.0 than the pH of 5.0 to 5.5 required for a conventional
process, thereby saving the cost of acid used for maintaining pH.
Thus, the present invention not only helps in beneficiating difficult to float rock
phosphate ores, but to reduce the consumption of reagents in a significant manner. This
can result in reduction of processing costs and ease of handling the flotation products and
recycling of the wastewater to the beneficiation circuit.