Agents for use in hydrometallurgical process streams
The present disclosure relates to the field of chemical compounds, compositions and processes. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to compositions having a high-loading capacity in an aqueous medium and to compositions, processes and uses thereof as silica coagulants in hydrometallurgical process streams.
1. A silica agglomeration composition comprising:
(a) a silica coagulant comprising a reaction product of glycerine and alkylene oxide,
wherein the silica coagulant has a molecular weight above 7,000, and
(b) water,
wherein the silica agglomeration composition comprises the silica coagulant dissolved in the water at a weight ratio of silica coagulant to water of about 54% or higher.
2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein
(a) the silica coagulant is a compound of formula (I):
wherein each of R 1 , R 2 and R 3 is independently —O(AO) n H,
wherein each AO group is, independently, an alkyleneoxy group selected from ethyleneoxy (“EO”), propyleneoxy (“PO”), butyleneoxy (“BO”), and combinations thereof,
wherein each n is independently 52 to 150.
3. The composition of claim 2 , wherein each (AO) n is selected from a block EO/PO mixture, a block EO/BO mixture, a block PO/BO mixture, a block EO/PO/BO mixture, a random EO/PO mixture, a random EO/BO mixture, a random PO/BO mixture, a random EO/PO/BO mixture, and combinations thereof.
4. The composition of claim 1 , wherein
(a) the silica coagulant is a compound of formula (I):
wherein each of R 1 , R 2 and R 3 is independently —O(AO) n (EO) p H, wherein each AO group is, independently, an alkyleneoxy group selected from ethyleneoxy (“EO”), propyleneoxy (“PO”), butyleneoxy (“BO”), and combinations thereof,
wherein each p is independently 1 to 150 and n+p is 52 to 150.
5. The composition of claim 4 , wherein (AO) n is a random EO/PO mixture with a ratio of EO:PO of 3:1.
6. The composition of claim 2 , wherein each n is independently 60 to 80.
7. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the silica coagulant has a molecular weight from about 8,000 to about 12,000.
8. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the silica coagulant has a molecular weight from about 8,000 to about 11,000.
9. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the silica coagulant is dissolved in the water at a weight ratio of silica coagulant to water of about 57% or higher.
10. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the silica coagulant is dissolved in the water at a weight ratio of silica coagulant to water of about 60% or higher.
11. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the silica coagulant is dissolved in the water at a weight ratio of silica coagulant to water at a range of from about 54% to about 70%.
12. A method for agglomerating silica particles in an aqueous mineral process stream comprising the steps of:
providing a silica coagulant of formula (I):
wherein each of R 1 , R 2 and R 3 is independently —O(AO) n H,
wherein each AO group is, independently, an alkyleneoxy group selected from ethyleneoxy (“EO”), propyleneoxy (“PO”), butyleneoxy (“BO”), and combinations thereof,
wherein each n is independently 52 to 150,
wherein the silica coagulant has a molecular weight above 7,000,
wherein the silica coagulant is soluble in water at a weight ratio of silica coagulant to water of about 54% or higher,
contacting the silica coagulant and the silica particles in the aqueous mineral process stream to form agglomerated silica particles.
13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising contacting at least one flocculant agent to the agglomerated silica particles.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the at least one flocculant agent is selected from the group consisting of: a particulate material, a polymeric flocculant, and combinations thereof.
15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising the step of removing the agglomerated silica particles from the aqueous mineral process stream.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the removing the agglomerated silica particles is selected from the group consisting of: filtering, settling, flocculating, and combinations thereof.