Method of separating and de-watering fine particles

1. A process for separating a hydrophobic particulate material and its hydrophilic contaminant dispersed in an aqueous slurry, the process comprising the steps of

a. agitating the aqueous slurry under conditions of high-shear agitation in the presence of a first hydrophobic liquid to form agglomerates of the hydrophobic particulate material;

b. separating the agglomerates from the aqueous liquid;

c. dispersing the agglomerates in a second hydrophobic liquid, so that water trapped in between the hydrophobic particulate material constituting the agglomerates is liberated from the hydrophobic particulate material; and

d. separating the hydrophobic particulate material from the second hydrophobic liquid and the water liberated from the agglomerates, thereby obtaining hydrophobic particles substantially free of hydrophilic contaminant and water, wherein the first hydrophobic liquid and the second hydrophobic liquid are the same or different.

2. The process of claim 1 , wherein said first or second hydrophobic liquid is selected from the group consisting of n-alkanes, n-alkenes, unbranched and branched cycloalkanes and cycloalkenes with carbon numbers of less than eight, ligroin, naphtha, petroleum naptha, petroleum ether, liquid carbon dioxide, and mixtures thereof.

3. The process of claim 1 , wherein said first hydrophobic liquid is selected from gasoline, kerosene, diesel fuel, and heating oils.

4. The process of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first hydrophobic liquid and the second hydrophobic liquid is recycled.

5. The process of claim 1 , wherein said hydrophobic particulate material is naturally hydrophobic.

6. The process of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobic particulate material is prepared by coating a selected hydrophilic particulate material with a hydrophobizing agent.

7. The process of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobic particulate material is prepared by hydrophobizing with an adsorbing reagent selected from the group consisting of thiol-type collectors, cationic surfactants, anionic surfactants, and non-ionic surfactants.

8. The process of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobic particulate material is smaller than 1 mm in diameter.

9. The process of claim 1 , further comprising the step of evaporating any hydrophobic liquid attached to the hydrophobic particles substantially free of hydrophilic contaminant and water produced in step d.

10. The process of claim 1 , wherein step a produces hydrophobic droplet sizes ranging from about 0.1 μm to about 400 μm.

11. The process of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobic particulate material is coal, precious metallic minerals, rare earth minerals, platinum group metals, base metal sulfides, phosphates minerals, clays, or iron oxides.

12. The process of claim 1 , Therein step c also includes agitation to promote dispersion.

13. The process of claim 12 , wherein the agitation is selected from the group consisting of sonication, ultrasonic vibration, agitation with a dynamic mixer, agitation by a static mixer, and vibrating screens.

14. The process of claim 1 , wherein step d is accomplished by sedimentation, vacuum filtration, pressure filtration, centrifugal filtration, or centrifugation.

15. The process of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobic particles substantially free of hydrophilic contaminant and water have a water content of about 0.1% to about 10%.

16. The process of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobic particles substantially free of hydrophilic contaminant and water have a hydrophilic particulate material content of about 1% to about 10%.

17. The process of claim 1 , wherein step c is accomplished by creating an upward current of the second hydrophobic liquid to keep heavy minerals in suspension.

18. The process of claim 1 , wherein agglomerates formed with the first hydrophobic liquid are washed with the second hydrophobic liquid to recover the first hydrophobic liquid.