PRIOR TO ENHANCED MINERAL SEPARATION PROCESS

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/464,592

(712-2.444 (CCS-0186), filed 28 February 2017 and No. 62/465,231 , filed 1 March 2017, which are both incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

This application is also related to, and builds on, technology disclosed in patent application serial no. 15/401 ,755, 9 January 2017, claiming benefit to provisional application serial no. 62/276,051 , and 62/405,569, both filed 7 January 2016, and all hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1 . Technical Field

This invention relates generally to techniques for separating valuable material from unwanted material in a mixture, such as a pulp slurry; and more particularly, relates to a method and apparatus for separating valuable material from unwanted material in a mixture, such as a pulp slurry, e.g., using an engineered collection media. 2. Description of Related Art

In many industrial processes, flotation is used to separate valuable or desired material from unwanted material. By way of example, in this process a mixture of water, valuable material, unwanted material, chemicals and air is placed into a flotation cell. The chemicals are used to make the desired material hydrophobic and the air is used to carry the material to the surface of the flotation cell. When the hydrophobic material and the air bubbles collide they become attached to each other. The bubble rises to the surface carrying the desired material with it.

The performance of the flotation cell is dependent on the air bubble surface area flux and air bubble size distribution in the collection zone of the cell. The air bubble surface area flux is dependent on the size of the bubbles and the air injection rate. Controlling the air bubble surface area flux has traditionally been very difficult. This is a multivariable control problem and there are no dependable real time feedback mechanisms to use for control.

There is a need in the industry to provide a better way to separate valuable material from unwanted material, e.g., including in such a flotation cell, so as to eliminate problems associated with using air bubbles in such a separation process.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention may include, or take the form of, a system for separating mineral particles of interest from an ore. featuring: mineral processing operations, stages or circuits, an enhanced mineral separation processor and a high intensity conditioning operation, stage or circuit.

The mineral processing operations, stages or circuits may be configured to receive an ore, or mineral particles or concentrates formed by processing the ore, and provide processed mineral particles or concentrates, or a waste stream, for further enhanced mineral separation downstream processing. The enhanced mineral separation processor may include at least one collection apparatus located therein, the at least one collection apparatus having a collection surface configured with a functionalized polymer comprising a plurality of molecules having a functional group configured to attract the mineral particles of interest to the collection surface, the enhanced mineral separation processor configured to receive the processed mineral particles or concentrates, or the waste stream, and provide further enhanced downstream processed mineral particles or concentrates, or a further enhanced downstream processed waste stream.

The high intensity conditioning operation, stage or circuit may be configured to apply a high intensity form of energy to the processed mineral particles or concentrates, or the waste stream, prior to further enhanced mineral separation downstream

processing by the enhanced mineral separation processor.

The system may include one or more of the following features:

The types of energy used may include any or all of the following: mechanical, acoustic, ultrasonic, hydrodynamic and/or pneumatic, cavitation, electrostatic, microwave, mechanical shear, mechanical abrasion, impact, mechanical agitation, thermal or electromagnetic.

The mineral processing operations, stages or circuits may include a crusher, a ball mill or a regrinder configured to crush, mill or regrind the ore for separating the mineral particles of interest from the ore in the system, and provide crushed, milled or reg rinded ore as the processed mineral particles having coarse mineral particles for the further enhanced mineral separation downstream processing. The high intensity conditioning operation, stage or circuit may be configured to apply the high intensity form of energy to the course mineral particles prior to the further enhanced mineral separation downstream processing by the enhanced mineral separation processor.

The mineral processing operations, stages or circuits may include flotation, thickening and/or filtration operations, stages or circuits configured to process the coarse mineral particles and provide processed mineral concentrates containing multiple valuable minerals for the further enhanced mineral separation downstream processing.

The high intensity conditioning operation, stage or circuit may be configured to apply the high intensity form of energy to the processed mineral concentrates prior to the further enhanced mineral separation downstream processing by the enhanced mineral separation processor.

The mineral processing operations, stages or circuits may be configured to receive the processed mineral particles or concentrates and provide an intermediate valuable mineral concentrate for the further enhanced mineral separation downstream processing.

The high intensity conditioning operation, stage or circuit may be configured to apply the high intensity form of energy to the intermediate valuable mineral concentrate prior to the further enhanced mineral separation downstream processing by the enhanced mineral separation processor.

The mineral processing operations, stages or circuits may include at least one waste stream processing operation, stage or circuit configured to receive the processed mineral particles or concentrates and provide at least one waste stream, including tails, for the further enhanced mineral separation downstream processing.

The high intensity conditioning operation, stage or circuit may be configured to apply the high intensity form of energy to the at least one waste stream prior to the further enhanced mineral separation downstream processing by the enhanced mineral separation processor.

Moreover, embodiments are envisioned, and the scope of the invention is intended to include, a system for separating mineral particles of interest from an ore, featuring a combination of mineral processing operations, stages or circuits, an enhanced mineral separation processor and a high intensity conditioning operation, stage or circuit. By way of example, the mineral processing operations, stages or circuits is configured to receive an ore, or mineral particles or concentrates formed by processing the ore, and provide processed mineral particles or concentrates, or a waste stream, for further enhanced mineral separation downstream processing in the system. By way of example, the enhanced mineral separation processor may include at least one collection apparatus located therein, the at least one collection apparatus having a collection surface configured with a functionalized polymer comprising a plurality of molecules having a functional group configured to attract the mineral particles of interest to the collection surface, the enhanced mineral separation processor configured to receive the processed mineral particles or concentrates, or the waste stream, and provide further enhanced downstream processed mineral particles or concentrates, or a further enhanced downstream processed waste stream. By way of example, the high intensity conditioning operation, stage or circuit may be configured to apply a high intensity form of energy to the processed mineral particles or concentrates, or the waste stream, before or after further enhanced mineral separation processing by the enhanced mineral separation processor in the system. The high intensity conditioning operation, stage or circuit may also be configured to apply the high intensity form of energy to the processed mineral particles or concentrates, or the waste stream, before and after the further enhanced mineral separation processing by the enhanced mineral separation processor in the system within the spirit of the underlying invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

Referring now to the drawing, which is not necessarily drawn to scale, the foregoing and other features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which like elements are numbered alike:

Figure 1 is a diagram of a flotation system, process or apparatus according to some embodiments of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a diagram of a flotation cell or column that may be used in place of the flotation cell or column that forms part of the flotation system, process or apparatus shown in Figure 1 according to some embodiments of the present invention.

Figure 3a shows a generalized synthetic bead which can be a size-based bead or bubble, weight-based polymer bead and bubble, and magnetic-based bead and bubble, according to some embodiments of the present invention. Figure 3b illustrates an enlarged portion of the synthetic bead showing a molecule or molecular segment for attaching a function group to the surface of the synthetic bead, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

Figure 4a illustrates a synthetic bead having a body made of a synthetic material, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

Figure 4b illustrates a synthetic bead with a synthetic shell, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

Figure 4c illustrates a synthetic bead with a synthetic coating, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

Figure 4d illustrates a synthetic bead taking the form of a porous block, a sponge or a foam, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

Figure 5a illustrates the surface of a synthetic bead with grooves and/or rods, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

Figure 5b illustrates the surface of a synthetic bead with dents and/or holes, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

Figure 5c illustrates the surface of a synthetic bead with stacked beads, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

Figure 5d illustrates the surface of a synthetic bead with hair-like physical structures, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

Figure 6 is a diagram of a bead recovery processor in which the valuable material is thermally removed from the polymer bubbles or beads, according to some embodiments of the present invention. Figure 7 is a diagram of a bead recovery processor in which the valuable material is sonically removed from the polymer bubbles or beads, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

Figure 8 is a diagram of a bead recovery processor in which the valuable material is chemically removed from the polymer bubbles or beads, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

Figure 9 is a diagram of a bead recovery processor in which the valuable material is electromagnetically removed from the polymer bubbles or beads, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

Figure 10 is a diagram of a bead recovery processor in which the valuable material is mechanically removed from the polymer bubbles or beads, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

Figure 1 1 is a diagram of a bead recovery processor in which the valuable material is removed from the polymer bubbles or beads in two or more stages, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

Figure 12 is a diagram of an apparatus using counter-current flow for mineral separation, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

Figure 13a shows a generalized synthetic bead functionalized to be hydrophobic, wherein the bead can be a size-based bead or bubble, weight-based polymer bead and bubble, and magnetic-based bead and bubble, according to some embodiments of the present invention. Figure 13b illustrates an enlarged portion of the hydrophobic synthetic bead showing a wetted mineral particle attaching the hydrophobic surface of the synthetic bead.

Figure 13c illustrates an enlarged portion of the hydrophobic synthetic bead showing a hydrophobic non-mineral particle attaching the hydrophobic surface of the synthetic bead.

Figures 14a illustrates a mineral particle being attached to a number of much smaller synthetic beads at the same time.

Figures 14b illustrates a mineral particle being attached to a number of slightly larger synthetic beads at the same time.

Figures 15a illustrates a wetted mineral particle being attached to a number of much smaller hydrophobic synthetic beads at the same time.

Figures 15b illustrates a wetted mineral particle being attached to a number of slightly larger hydrophobic synthetic beads at the same time.

Figures 16a and 16b illustrate some embodiments of the present invention wherein the synthetic bead or bubble have one portion functionalized to have collector molecules and another portion functionalized to be hydrophobic.

Figure 17a illustrates a collection media taking the form of an open-cell foam in a cubic shape.

Figure 17b illustrates a filter according to some embodiments of the present invention.

Figure 17c illustrates a section of a membrane or conveyor belt according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 17d illustrates a section of a membrane or conveyor belt according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 18 illustrates a separation processor configured with a functionalized polymer coated conveyor belt arranged therein according to some embodiments of the present invention.

Figure 19 illustrates a separation processor configured with a functionalized polymer coated filter assembly according to some embodiments of the present invention.

Figure 20 illustrates a co-current tumbler cell configured to enhance the contact between the collection media and the mineral particles in a slurry, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

Figure 21 illustrates a cross-current tumbler cell configured to enhance the contact between the collection media and the mineral particles in a slurry, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

Figure 22 is a picture showing reticulated foam with Cu Mineral entrained throughout the structure.

Figure 23 shows an example a system for separate mineral particles of interest from an ore, which is known in the art.

Figure 24 show a system for separate mineral particles of interest from an ore, having enhanced mineral separation circuits (EMSC) that form part of a family of technology developed by the assignee of the present patent application.

Figure 25 show a diagram of an enhanced mineral separation circuit (EMSC) that may be used in the system shown in Figure 24. Figure 26 shows the system in Figure 24 having high intensity condition arranged prior art to the enhanced mineral separation circuits (EMSC), according to some embodiments of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This application includes Figures 1 -22, e.g., including Figures 1 -16b showing the subject matter from one earlier-filed parent application, and Figures 17a through 22 showing the subject matter that forms the basis for this CIP application.

This application builds on a family of enhanced mineral separation technology developed by the assignee of the present application.

By way of example, Figure 23 shows a system for mineral separation of a mineral particle of interest that is known in the art, which includes the following:

1 . A primary crusher, usually a gyratory crusher or a jaw crusher

2. A screen to remove the coarse particles from the primary crusher product and send them to the secondary crushers.

3. Secondary crushers, often shorthead or cone crushers (a kind of gyratory crusher specially designed for intermediate sized particles)

4. Tertiary crushers, which can be either gyratory or high pressure grinding rolls crushers.

5. Another screen, to treat the tertiary crusher product and to return any oversized or uncrushed particles to the tertiary crusher. The average screen opening can be between 4mm and 12mm, but is usually around 5mm. 6. One or more ball mills that are in closed circuit with a classifier. The classifier— most often a cyclone— removes the coarse, unfinished product and returns it to the ball mill while permitting the finished, fine particles to advance to the flotation stage.

7. A rougher or rougher-scavenger flotation stage, in which the ground ore is upgraded via one or more froth flotation units.

8. A regrinding stage, to further grind the concentrates of the rougher flotation step.

9. A series of cleaning stages, which can be anywhere from one to ten individual stages depending on the equipment size, configuration and ore properties.

10. Thickeners, to remove excess water from various process streams. The most important stream for the purpose of water recovery is the plant tails, as this contains the bulk of the water that was input to the process. The tailings thickeners can be very large depending on the grind size, ore properties, and desired water recovery.

In contrast, and by way of further example, Figure 24 shows a system that forms part of the family of enhanced mineral separation technology developed by the assignee of the present application.

The system in Figure 24 offers a solution to some of the shortcomings of the traditional system shown in Figure 23. The nature of the solution stems from the unique ability of the system in Figure 24 to: 1 . Offer a higher sulfide mineral recovery rate for a given liberation percentage, because it does not allow particle detachment after capture

2. Operate without the need for air, and hence without the need to achieve an air- water separation.

3. Operate at higher pulp percent solids, which allow for reduced water

requirements than traditional froth flotation methods.

By way of example, the above qualities allow for a significant reduction in capital cost, operating cost, water requirements, and energy requirements when the system in Figure 24 is used for sulfide mineral beneficiation. Figure 25 shows a possible configuration of enhanced mineral separation technology, which consists of two co- current circulating loops of media and stripping solution. The barren media is contacted with the feed stream (slurry and unrecovered sulfide mineral particles), where the sulfide minerals are loaded on the media. The media is separated from the slurry on a vibrating screen equipped with wash water sprays ("washing screen"). The loaded media is then contacted with a stripping stage, which removes the sulfide particles from the media. The barren media is then recovered and returned to the loading stage. The strip solution is recovered in a filter and returned to the stripping stage. The mineral particles are recovered in a concentrate stream.

The enhanced mineral separation technology can be used in a sulfide

beneficiation plant as shown in Figure 24. This circuit has the same primary, secondary and tertiary crushing configuration as the traditional beneficiation flowsheet shown in Figure 23, but there are numerous unique features about the grinding and flotation steps. They are: 1 . There is a classification step before the ball mills, consisting of a desliming classifier, most likely a hydrocyclone operating at a d50 cut size of around 300 to 500 microns, in order to remove most of the fine particles from the ball mill feed. This material— probably around 20% to 30% of the total mass flow through the process, is directed to a flash flotation device (i.e. a Contact Cell or similar pneumatic flotation device) to recover hydrophobic sulfide particles. The flotation tails are then thickened to recover process water and return it to screen. The concentrates are direct, optionally, to one of the downstream regrinding steps (depending on the particle size of that stream).

2. The ball mills are no longer operated in closed circuit with hydrocyclones; they are now operated in open circuit. This eliminates the high circulating loads (200% to 500% of the fresh feed is recirculated to the mill) that characterize normal ball mill operations, and allows for a reduction of between 65% and 80% of size of the ball milling circuit depending on the cut size selected for the pre-classification step.

3. The ball mill product is classified with either a screen or a hydrocyclone operating at a D50 cut size of around 1 mm. The coarse particles are then directed to a CiDRA Circuit. Any recovered coarse particles are returned to the grinding mills, while the unrecovered particles are directed to tails. This is significantly different from the traditional configuration, in which ALL of the coarse material is returned to the ball mill. Because the CiDRA circuit is optimized for coarse particle recovery (because there is very little detachment), only those particles with some exposed hydrophobic faces are recycled to the ball mill, greatly reducing the amount of work that must be done in that comminution step. For the remainder of this document, this concept has been termed "selective recirculation".

4. The classifier fines— now only 15% to 50% of the original feed but containing perhaps 80% to 95% of the sulfide minerals in the original feed— are then directed to a secondary grinding step, consisting of vertical mills. Vertical mills are up to 35% more efficient than ball mills for processing fine particles (less than 1 mm); hence, they are a better choice for this fine grinding application. Like the previous grinding step, the vertical mills are configured with a product classifier and enhanced mineral separation technology operating in selective recirculation configuration. This allows for the rejection of between 70% and 99% of the remaining material while recovering almost all of the reground sulfide minerals.

5. The vertical mill circuit product is again treated in a flash flotation device— a contact cell or other pneumatic flotation cell— to remove the fastest, highest-grade particles. The tails are then combined with the tails of the first Contact Cell and directed to a third enhanced mineral separation circuit scavenging any remaining sulfide particles.

6. The recovered sulfide particles from the scavenger circuit are combined with the concentrates of the Contact Cells and directed to a third and final grinding step, termed the "Polishing Mills". These mills are operating at very fine grinds— typically 30 to 75 microns— and therefore IsaMills or Stirred Media Detritors (SMD) would be more appropriate for this size range. The final product— containing between 1 % and 5% of the original plant feed but perhaps 80% to 95% of the desirable sulfide minerals— is then floated a third and final time, then directed to a cleaner circuit. The tails of this scavenger circuit is recycled to a prior step (Intermediate flotation in the diagram shown).

The benefits of this circuit, when compared to a traditional circuit, include:

1 . The prospect of selective recirculation offers the potential for very significant energy reductions. To wit:

a. A significant portion of the plant feed— between 50% and 85% depending on the mineralogical characteristics of the sulfides— is rejected to tails before it is ground any finer than around 2 to 3 mm (P80, approximate). This offers very significant energy savings.

b. A further 10% to 40% are rejected to tails at or around 200 to 400 microns in the intermediate circuit, offering further savings

2. The higher thickening of only the fines stream rather than the entire plant tails offers the possibility of a very large reduction in the capital cost and floor space requirements of the thickeners and water recovery system.

3. The recovery of sulfide minerals at very high densities in Coarse and

Intermediate stages eliminates the need for copious amounts of dilution water required for the operation of traditional rougher flotation cells. This is a very significant cost savings, particularly in dry climates or at high elevation, where water pumping and perhaps desalination facilities are a large fraction of the total infrastructure costs.

4. The use of enhanced mineral separation technology, which does not require bubble-particle attachment, allows for a significant reduction in the flotation residence time and therefore floor space and energy requirements when compared to the traditional circuit configuration. High Intensity Conditioning (HIC)

The present invention disclosure covers the use of high intensity conditioning (HIC) using elevated levels of energy input prior to the separation of minerals with the assignee's enhanced mineral separation technology, e.g., together with the system set forth in Figure 24. The types of energy used may include any or all of the following: mechanical, acoustic, ultrasonic, hydrodynamic and/or pneumatic, cavitation, electrostatic, microwave, mechanical shear, mechanical abrasion, impact, mechanical agitation, thermal or electromagnetic.

The primary embodiment of the present invention would include a conditioning step incorporating a significant and efficient energy input prior to the use of the assignee's enhanced mineral separation polymer separation technology. This conditioning step would act to improve surface based separations by any or all of the following mechanisms: increased surface energy of valuable minerals via macroscopic or microscopic surface alterations; removal of adsorbed ions and molecules from the surfaces of valuable minerals; removal of adsorbed fine mineral particles from the surfaces of valuable minerals; removal of surface alterations caused by mineral oxidation and/or solid precipitation; abrasion of mineral particles and incremental size reduction wherein particle fracture occurs along the boundaries of mineral grains resulting in particles with higher percentages of their surfaces consisting of valuable minerals as well as an increase of particles containing only valuable minerals. These conditioning effects result in improved ultimate recovery and recovery kinetics (rate of recovery) of valuable minerals using the assignee's enhanced mineral separation technology, and thereby improve the selectivity of the assignee's enhanced mineral separation for valuable minerals from gangue minerals. The net effect is to increase both the concentration of valuable mineral in the assignee's enhanced mineral separation concentrates as well as increased recovery of these valuable minerals.

Pre-Crushing/Grinding Conditioning

By way of example, one specific embodiment of the present invention may consist of the conditioning of coarse (e.g., <2 mm) mineral particles followed by the assignee's enhanced mineral separation. The conditioning step would help improve the grade and recovery of valuable mineral as described above. The ability to effectively separate coarse particles with the assignee's enhanced mineral separation technology provides significant downstream benefits in terms of increased throughput and decreased operating expenditures. Details of the beneficial effects of coarse particle separation with the assignee's enhanced mineral technology has been thoroughly disclosed in the family of patent documents disclosing the assignee's enhanced mineral separation technology.

Conditioning of Mineral Concentrate

By way of further example, another embodiment of the invention may consist of the conditioning of mineral concentrates containing multiple valuable minerals, in advance of the assignee's enhanced mineral separation to produce an ultra-high purity concentrate containing only a single mineral. Especially in cases of very soft or very high aspect ratio mineral particles this high intensity conditioning step would be expected to produce more free mineral particles at larger particle size ranges, thereby improving the separation of one valuable mineral from another. An added benefit for high aspect ratio, lamellar minerals is that the high intensity conditioning step provides increased liberation without destroying the lamellar structure (high aspect ratio) of these mineral particles.

Conditioning of Intermediate Valuable Mineral Concentrate By way of still further example, a third embodiment of the present invention may consist of the conditioning of an intermediate valuable mineral concentrate in advance of further P29 separation steps to increase the concentration of valuable mineral in the final mineral concentrate. In this embodiment, the conditioning step would be operated in such a manner to achieve at least one of the following: improve surface

characteristics (surface exposure, surface activity) of mineral particles for downstream separations; increase valuable mineral exposure on particle surfaces; increase liberation of valuable minerals from gangue via selective size reduction in the conditioning step; or increase or decrease (as required) the hydrophobicity,

hydrophilicity, or other surface chemical properties as required.

Conditioning of Waste Streams

By way of still further example, a fourth embodiment of the invention would consist of the conditioning of waste streams from existing mineral processing

operations in order to more efficiently recover valuable minerals that would otherwise be lost as waste. Valuable minerals are lost to mineral processing waste streams when they are unrecoverable by installed separation techniques. This frequently occurs when the surface of a given valuable mineral particle is contaminated in some manner (by adsorbed ions, molecules or gangue mineral particles) or the valuable mineral grain surface is wholly or partly blocked by gangue mineral grains within the same particle. In this embodiment the high intensity conditioning step removes surface contamination, oxidation, or precipitants and increases the amount of available valuable mineral surface such that more of the valuable mineral becomes recoverable by the assignee's enhanced mineral separation technology. This embodiment therefore provides a method for more of the valuable minerals in a process plant feed stream to be recovered economically, improving total plant recovery and minimizing losses to the waste stream.

Figure 26

By way of example, and consistent with that set forth herein, Figure 26 shows the system in Figure 24 having HIC configurations arranged prior art to the enhanced mineral separation circuits (EMSC).

In Figure 26, the HIC configurations may include HIC1 configured between the first classifier and the coarse EMSC; HIC2 configured between the second classifier and the intermediate EMSC; HIC3 configured between the thickening circuit and the scavenger EMSC; HIC4 configured between the flotation after the second classifier and the scavenger EMSC; and HIC5 configured between the flotation after the polishing mills and the cleaner EMSC. In operation, the high intensity conditioning HIC1 , HIC2, HIC3, HIC4 and HIC5 are configured to provide or input the elevated levels of energy to the respective feeds prior to the separation of minerals with the EMSC technology.

The scope of the invention is not intended to be limited to HIC configurations shown in Figure 26. For example, the scope of the invention is intended to include, and embodiments are envisioned, implementing HICs in relation to one or more of the feeds such as from the screen to the first classifier, from the flotation circuit to the thickening circuit, from the polishing mills to the flotation circuit, and/or from one or more enhanced mineral separation processors to another mineral processing circuit in the system, e.g., from the cleaner EMSC to the flotation circuit. In these types of embodiment, the high intensity conditioning operation, stage or circuit may be configured to apply the high intensity form of energy to the processed mineral particles or concentrates, or the waste stream, before and/or after the further enhanced mineral separation processing by the enhanced mineral separation processor in the system.

By way of further example, for other embodiments in which the assignee's EMSC technology may be implemented such as in the system shown in Figure 23, the scope of the invention is intended to include, and embodiments are envisioned, configuring HICs to one or more of the feeds such as from the classifier to the rougher/scavenger flotation, from the rougher/scavenger flotation to the thickening circuit, from the regrinding circuit to the 1 st cleaner flotation, from the 1 st cleaner flotation to the 2nd cleaner flotation, from the 1 st cleaner flotation to the cleaner-scavenger flotation, from the 2nd cleaner flotation to the 1 st cleaner flotation, from the 2nd cleaner flotation to the thickening circuit, and/or from the thickening circuit providing the tails. The HICs

Technology for implementing HICs is known in the art. For example, systems, equipment or apparatus for providing or inputting elevated levels of energy to feeds are known in the art, and the scope of the invention is not intended to be limited to any particular type or kind thereof either now known or later developed in the future. In particular, systems, equipment or apparatus are known in the art for providing or inputting elevated levels of energies like, or in the form of, mechanical, acoustic, ultrasonic, hydrodynamic and/or pneumatic, cavitation, electrostatic, microwave, mechanical shear, mechanical abrasion, impact, mechanical agitation, thermal or electromagnetic. By way of further example, such HICs may be implement on, or in, or in relation to, piping in which the feed flows, as well as vats, containers, cells, etc. in which the feed flows to or from, etc. The scope of the invention is not intended to be limited to any particular implementation for providing or inputting the elevated levels of energy to feeds, e.g., including implementation both now known or later developed in the future.

Figure 1 -22 of The Parent Application t

Figures 1 -22 of the parent application are described as follows:

Figure 1

By way of example, Figure 1 shows the present invention is the form of apparatus 10, having a flotation cell or column 12 configured to receive a mixture of fluid (e.g. water), valuable material and unwanted material, e.g., a pulp slurry 14; receive synthetic bubbles or beads 70 (Fig. 3a to Fig. 5d) that are constructed to be buoyant when submerged in the pulp slurry or mixture 14 and functionalized to control the chemistry of a process being performed in the flotation cell or column, including to attach to the valuable material in the pulp slurry or mixture 14; and provide enriched synthetic bubble or beads 18 having the valuable material attached thereon. The terms "synthetic bubbles or beads" and "polymer bubbles or beads" are used interchangeably in this disclosure. The terms "valuable material", "valuable mineral" and "mineral particle" are also used interchangeably. By way of example, the synthetic bubbles or beads 70 may be made from polymer or polymer-based materials, or silica or silica- based materials, or glass or glass-based materials, although the scope of the invention is intended to include other types or kinds of material either now known or later developed in the future. For the purpose of describing one example of the present invention, in Figure 1 the synthetic bubbles or beads 70 and the enriched synthetic bubble or beads 18 are shown as enriched polymer or polymer-based bubbles labeled 18. The flotation cell or column 12 is configured with a top portion or piping 20 to provide the enriched polymer or polymer-based bubbles 18 from the flotation cell or column 12 for further processing consistent with that set forth herein.

The flotation cell or column 12 may be configured with a top part or piping 22, e.g., having a valve 22a, to receive the pulp slurry or mixture 14 and also with a bottom part or piping 24 to receive the synthetic bubbles or beads 70. In operation, the buoyancy of the synthetic bubbles or beads 70 causes them to float upwardly from the bottom to the top of the flotation cell or column 12 through the pulp slurry or mixture 14 in the flotation cell or column 12 so as to collide with the water, valuable material and unwanted material in the pulp slurry or mixture 14. The functionalization of the synthetic bubbles or beads 70 causes them to attach to the valuable material in the pulp slurry or mixture 14. As used herein, the term "functionalization" means that the properties of the material making up the synthetic bubbles or beads 70 are either selected (based upon material selection) or modified during manufacture and fabrication, to be "attracted" to the valuable material, so that a bond is formed between the synthetic bubbles or beads 70 and the valuable material, so that the valuable material is lifted through the cell or column 12 due to the buoyancy of the synthetic bubbles or beads 70. For example, the surface of synthetic bubbles or beads has functional groups for collecting the valuable material. Alternatively, the synthetic bubbles or beads are functionalized to be hydrophobic for attracting wetted mineral particles - those mineral particles having collector molecules attached thereto. As a result of the collision between the synthetic bubbles or beads 70 and the water, valuable material and unwanted material in the pulp slurry or mixture 14, and the attachment of the synthetic bubbles or beads 70 and the valuable material in the pulp slurry or mixture 14, the enriched polymer or polymer-based bubbles 18 having the valuable material attached thereto will float to the top of the flotation cell 12 and form part of the froth formed at the top of the flotation cell 12. The flotation cell 12 may include a top part or piping 20 configured to provide the enriched polymer or polymer- based bubbles 18 having the valuable material attached thereto, which may be further processed consistent with that set forth herein. In effect, the enriched polymer or polymer-based bubbles 18 may be taken off the top of the flotation cell 12 or may be drained off by the top part or piping 20. The flotation cell or column 12 may be configured to contain an attachment rich environment, including where the attachment rich environment has a high pH, so as to encourage the flotation recovery process therein. The flotation recovery process may include the recovery of ore particles in mining, including copper. The scope of the invention is not intended to be limited to any particular type or kind of flotation recovery process either now known or later developed in the future. The scope of the invention is also not intended to be limited to any particular type or kind of mineral of interest that may form part of the flotation recovery process either now known or later developed in the future.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, the synthetic bubbles or beads 70 may be configured with a surface area flux by controlling some

combination of the size of the polymer or polymer-based bubbles and/or the injection rate that the pulp slurry or mixture 14 is received in the flotation cell or column 12. The synthetic bubbles or beads 70 may also be configured with a low density so as to behave like air bubbles. The synthetic bubbles or beads 70 may also be configured with a controlled size distribution of medium that may be customized to maximize recovery of different feed matrixes to flotation as valuable material quality changes, including as ore quality changes.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, the flotation cell or column 12 may be configured to receive the synthetic bubbles or beads 70 together with air, where the air is used to create a desired froth layer in the mixture in the flotation cell or column 12 in order to achieve a desired grade of valuable material. The synthetic bubbles or beads 70 may be configured to lift the valuable material to the surface of the mixture in the flotation cell or column.

The Thickener 28

The apparatus 10 may also include piping 26 having a valve 26a for providing tailings to a thickener 28 configured to receive the tailings from the flotation cell or column 12. The thickener 28 includes piping 30 having a valve 30a to provide thickened tailings. The thickener 28 also includes suitable piping 32 for providing reclaimed water back to the flotation cell or column 12 for reuse in the process.

Thickeners like element 28 are known in the art, and the scope of the invention is not intended to be limited to any particular type or kind either now known or later developed in the future.

The Bead Recovery Process or Processor 50

According to some embodiments of the present invention, the apparatus 10 may further include a bead recovery process or processor generally indicated as 50 configured to receive the enriched polymer or polymer-based bubbles 18 and provide reclaimed polymer or polymer-based bubbles 52 without the valuable material attached thereon so as to enable the reuse of the polymer or polymer-based bubbles 52 in a closed loop process. By way of example, the bead recovery

process or processor 50 may take the form of a washing station whereby the valuable mineral is mechanically, chemically, or electro-statically removed from the polymer or polymer-based bubbles 18. The bead recovery process or processor 50 may include a releasing apparatus in the form of a second flotation cell or column 54 having piping 56 with a valve 56a configured to receive the enriched polymer bubbles or beads 18; and substantially release the valuable material from the polymer bubbles or beads 18, and also having a top part or piping 57 configured to provide the reclaimed polymer bubbles or beads 52, substantially without the valuable material attached thereon The second flotation cell or column 54 may be configured to contain a release rich environment, including where the release rich environment has a low pH, or including where the release rich environment results from ultrasonic waves pulsed into the second flotation cell or column 54.

The bead recovery process or processor 50 may also include piping 58 having a valve 56a for providing concentrated minerals to a thickener 60 configured to receive the concentrated minerals from the flotation cell or column 54. The thickener 60 includes piping 62 having a valve 62a to provide thickened concentrate. The thickener 60 also includes suitable piping 64 for providing reclaimed water back to the second flotation cell or column 54 for reuse in the process. Thickeners like element 60 are known in the art, and the scope of the invention is not intended to be limited to any particular type or kind either now known or later developed in the future.

Embodiments are also envisioned in which the enriched synthetic beads or bubbles are placed in a chemical solution so the valuable material is dissolved off, or are sent to a smelter where the valuable material is burned off, including where the synthetic beads or bubbles are reused afterwards. Dosage control

According to some embodiments of the present invention, the synthetic beads or bubbles 70 may be functionalized to control the chemistry of the process being performed in the cell or column, e.g. to release a chemical to control the chemistry of the flotation separation process.

In particular, the flotation cell or column 12 in Figure 1 may be configured to receive polymer-based blocks like synthetic beads containing one or more chemicals used in a flotation separation of the valuable material, including mining ores, that are encapsulated into polymers to provide a slow or targeted release of the chemical once released into the flotation cell or column 12. By way of example, the one or more chemicals may include chemical mixes both now known and later developed in the future, including typical frothers, collectors and other additives used in flotation separation. The scope of the invention is not intended to be limited to the type or kind of chemicals or chemical mixes that may be released into the flotation cell or column 12 using the synthetic bubbles according to the present invention.

The scope of the invention is intended to include other types or kinds of functionalization of the synthetic beads or bubbles in order to provide other types or kinds of control of the chemistry of the process being performed in the cell or column, including either functionalization and controls both now known and later developed in the future. For example, the synthetic beads or bubbles may be functionalized to control the pH of the mixture that forms part of the flotation separation process being performed in the flotation cell or column. Figure 2: The Collision Technique

Figure 2 shows alternative apparatus generally indicated as 200 in the form of an alternative flotation cell 201 that is based at least partly on a collision technique between the mixture and the synthetic bubbles or beads, according to some

embodiments of the present invention. The mixture 202, e.g. the pulp slurry, may be received in a top part or piping 204, and the synthetic bubbles or beads 206 may be received in a bottom part or piping 208. The flotation cell 201 may be configured to include a first device 210 for receiving the mixture 202, and also may be configured to include a second device 212 for receiving the polymer-based materials. The first device 210 and the second device 212 are configured to face towards one another so as to provide the mixture 202 and the synthetic bubbles or beads 206, e.g., polymer or polymer-based materials, using the collision technique. In Figure 2, the arrows 210a represent the mixture being sprayed, and the arrows 212a represent the synthetic bubbles or beads 206 being sprayed towards one another in the flotation cell 201 .

In operation, the collision technique causes vortices and collisions using enough energy to increase the probability of touching of the polymer or polymer-based materials 206 and the valuable material in the mixture 202, but not too much energy to destroy bonds that form between the polymer or polymer-based materials 206 and the valuable material in the mixture 202. Pumps, not shown, may be used to provide the mixture 202 and the synthetic bubbles or beads 206 are the appropriate pressure in order to implement the collision technique.

By way of example, the first device 210 and the second device 212 may take the form of shower-head like devices having a perforated nozzle with a multiplicity of holes for spraying the mixture and the synthetic bubbles or beads towards one another.

Shower-head like devices are known in the art, and the scope of the invention is not intended to be limited to any particular type or kind thereof either now known or later developed in the future. Moreover, based on that disclosed in the instant patent application, a person skilled in the art without undue experimentation would be able to determine the number and size of the holes for spraying the mixture 202 and the synthetic bubbles or beads 206 towards one another, as well as the appropriate pumping pressure in order to provide enough energy to increase the probability of touching of the polymer or polymer-based materials 206 and the valuable material in the mixture 202, but not too much energy to destroy bonds that form between the polymer or polymer-based materials 206 and the valuable material in the mixture 202.

As a result of the collision between the synthetic bubbles or beads 206 and the mixture, enriched synthetic bubbles or beads having the valuable material attached thereto will float to the top and form part of the froth in the flotation cell 201 . The flotation cell 201 may include a top part or piping 214 configured to provide enriched synthetic bubbles or beads 216, e.g., enriched polymer bubbles as shown, having the valuable material attached thereto, which may be further processed consistent with that set forth herein.

The alternative apparatus 200 may be used in place of the flotation columns or cells, and inserted into the apparatus or system shown in Figure 1 , and may prove to be more efficient than using the flotation columns or cells.

Figures 3a-5d: The Synthetic Bubbles or Beads The bubbles or beads used in mineral separation are referred herein as synthetic bubbles or beads. At least the surface of the synthetic bubbles or beads has a layer of polymer functionalized to attract or attach to the value material or mineral particles in the mixture. The term "polymer bubbles or beads", and the term "synthetic bubbles or beads" are used interchangeably. The term "polymer" in this specification means a large molecule made of many units of the same or similar structure linked together. The unit can be a monomer or an oligomer which forms the basis of, for example, polyamides (nylon), polyesters, polyurethanes, phenol-formaldehyde, urea- formaldehyde, melamine-formaldehyde, polyacetal, polyethylene, polyisobutylene, polyacrylonitrile, polyvinyl chloride), polystyrene, poly(methyl methacrylates), polyvinyl acetate), poly(vinylidene chloride), polyisoprene, polybutadiene, polyacrylates, poly(carbonate), phenolic resin, polydimethylsiloxane and other organic or inorganic polymers. The list is not necessarily exhaustive. Thus, the synthetic material can be hard or rigid like plastic or soft and flexible like an elastomer. While the physical properties of the synthetic beads can vary, the surface of the synthetic beads is chemically functionalized to provide a plurality of functional groups to attract or attach to mineral particles. (By way of example, the term "functional group" may be understood to be a group of

atoms responsible for the characteristic reactions of a particular compound, including those define the structure of a family of compounds and determine its properties.)

For aiding a person of ordinary skill in the art in understanding various

embodiments of the present invention, Figure 3a shows a generalized synthetic bead and Figure 3b shows an enlarged portion of the surface. The synthetic bead can be a size-based bead or bubble, weight-based polymer bead and bubble, and/or magnetic- based bead and bubble. As shown in Figures 3a and 3b, the synthetic bead 70 has a bead body to provide a bead surface 74. At least the outside part of the bead body is made of a synthetic material, such as polymer, so as to provide a plurality of molecules or molecular segments76 on the surface 74. The molecule 76 is used to attach a chemical functional group 78 to the surface 74. In general, the molecule 76 can be a hydrocarbon chain, for example, and the functional group 78 can have an anionic bond for attracting or attaching a mineral, such as copper to the surface 74. A xanthate, for example, has both the functional group 78 and the molecular segment 76 to be incorporated into the polymer that is used to make the synthetic bead 70. A functional group 78 is also known as a collector that is either ionic or non-ionic. The ion can be anionic or cationic. An anion includes oxyhydryl, such as carboxylic, sulfates and sulfonates, and sulfhydral, such as xanthates and dithiophosphates. Other molecules or compounds that can be used to provide the function group 78 include, but are not limited to, thionocarboamates, thioureas, xanthogens, monothiophosphates,

hydroquinones and polyamines. Similarly, a chelating agent can be incorporated into or onto the polymer as a collector site for attracting a mineral, such as copper. As shown in Figure 3b, a mineral particle 72 is attached to the functional group 78 on a molecule 76. In general, the mineral particle 72 is much smaller than the synthetic bead 70.

Many mineral particles 72 can be attracted to or attached to the surface 74 of a synthetic bead 70.

In some embodiments of the present invention, a synthetic bead has a solid- phase body made of a synthetic material, such as polymer. The polymer can be rigid or elastomeric. An elastomeric polymer can be polyisoprene or polybutadiene, for example. The synthetic bead 70 has a bead body 80 having a surface comprising a plurality of molecules with one or more functional groups for attracting mineral particles to the surface. A polymer having a functional group to collect mineral particles is referred to as a functionalized polymer. In one embodiment, the entire interior part 82 of the synthetic bead 80 is made of the same functionalized material, as shown in Figure 4a. In another embodiment, the bead body 80 include a shell 84. The shell 84 can be formed by way of expansion, such as thermal expansion or pressure reduction. The shell 84 can be a micro-bubble or a balloon. In Figure 4b, the shell 84, which is made of functionalized material, has an interior part 86. The interior part 86 can be filled with air or gas to aid buoyancy, for example. The interior part 86 can be used to contain a liquid to be released during the mineral separation process. The encapsulated liquid can be a polar liquid or a non-polar liquid, for example. The encapsulated liquid can contain a depressant composition for the enhanced separation of copper, nickel, zinc, lead in sulfide ores in the flotation stage, for example. The shell 84 can be used to encapsulate a powder which can have a magnetic property so as to cause the synthetic bead to be magnetic, for example. The encapsulated liquid or powder may contain monomers, oligomers or short polymer segments for wetting the surface of mineral particles when released from the beads. For example, each of the monomers or oligomers may contain one functional group for attaching to a mineral particle and an ion for attaching the wetted mineral particle to the synthetic bead. The shell 84 can be used to encapsulate a solid core, such as Styrofoam to aid buoyancy, for example. In yet another embodiment, only the coating of the bead body is made of functionalized polymer. As shown in Figure 4c, the synthetic bead has a core 90 made of ceramic, glass or metal and only the surface of core 90 has a coating 88 made of functionalized polymer. The core 90 can be a hollow core or a filled core depending on the

application. The core 90 can be a micro-bubble, a sphere or balloon. For example, a filled core made of metal makes the density of the synthetic bead to be higher than the density of the pulp slurry, for example. The core 90 can be made of a magnetic material so that the para-, ferri-, ferro-magnetism of the synthetic bead is greater than the para-, ferri-, ferro-magnetism of the unwanted ground ore particle in the mixture. In a different embodiment, the synthetic bead can be configured with a ferro-magnetic or ferri-magnetic core that attract to paramagnetic surfaces. A core 90 made of glass or ceramic can be used to make the density of the synthetic bead substantially equal to the density of the pulp slurry so that when the synthetic beads are mixed into the pulp slurry for mineral collection, the beads can be in a suspension state.

According to a different embodiment of the present invention, the synthetic bead 70 can be a porous block or take the form of a sponge or foam with multiple segregated gas filled chambers as illustrated in Figure 4d. The combination of air and the synthetic beads or bubbles 70 can be added to traditional naturally aspirated flotation cell.

It should be understood that the term "bead" does not limit the shape of the synthetic bead of the present invention to be spherical, as shown in Figure 3. In some embodiments of the present invention, the synthetic bead 70 can have an elliptical shape, a cylindrical shape, a shape of a block. Furthermore, the synthetic bead can have an irregular shape. It should also be understood that the surface of a synthetic bead, according to the present invention, is not limited to an overall smooth surface as shown in Figure 3a. In some embodiments of the present invention, the surface can be irregular and rough. For example, the surface 74 can have some physical structures 92 like grooves or rods as shown in Figure 5a. The surface 74 can have some physical structures 94 like holes or dents as shown in Figure 5b. The surface 74 can have some physical structures 96 formed from stacked beads as shown in Figure 5c. The surface 74 can have some hair-like physical structures 98 as shown in Figure 5d. In addition to the functional groups on the synthetic beads that attract mineral particles to the bead surface, the physical structures can help trapping the mineral particles on the bead surface. The surface 74 can be configured to be a honeycomb surface or sponge-like surface for trapping the mineral particles and/or increasing the contacting surface.

It should also be noted that the synthetic beads of the present invention can be realized by a different way to achieve the same goal. Namely, it is possible to use a different means to attract the mineral particles to the surface of the synthetic beads. For example, the surface of the polymer beads, shells can be functionalized with a hydrophobic chemical molecule or compound. Alternatively, the surface of beads made of glass, ceramic and metal can be coated with hydrophobic chemical molecules or compounds. Using the coating of glass beads as an example, polysiloxanates can be used to functionalize the glass beads in order to make the synthetic beads. In the pulp slurry, xanthate and hydroxamate collectors can also be added therein for collecting the mineral particles and making the mineral particles hydrophobic. When the synthetic beads are used to collect the mineral particles in the pulp slurry having a pH value around 8-9, it is possible to release the mineral particles on the enriched synthetic beads from the surface of the synthetic beads in an acidic solution, such as a sulfuric acid solution. It is also possible to release the mineral particles carrying with the enriched synthetic beads by sonic agitation, such as ultrasonic waves.

The multiplicity of hollow objects, bodies, elements or structures may include hollow cylinders or spheres, as well as capillary tubes, or some combination thereof. The scope of the invention is not intended to be limited to the type, kind or geometric shape of the hollow object, body, element or structure or the uniformity of the mixture of the same. Each hollow object, body, element or structure may be configured with a dimension so as not to absorb liquid, including water, including where the dimension is in a range of about 20-30 microns. Each hollow object, body, element or structure may be made of glass or a glass-like material, as well as some other suitable material either now known or later developed in the future.

By way of example, the multiplicity of hollow objects, bodies, elements or structures that are received in the mixture may include a number in a range of multiple thousands of bubbles or beads per cubic foot of mixture, although the scope of the invention is not intended to be limited per se to the specific number of bubbles. For instance, a mixture of about three thousand cubic feet may include multiple millions of bubbles or beads, e.g., having a size of about 1 millimeter, in three thousand cubic feet of the mixture.

The multiplicity of hollow objects, bodies, elements or structures may be configured with chemicals applied to prevent migration of liquid into respective cavities, unfilled spaces or holes before the wet concrete mixture cures, including where the chemicals are hydrophobic chemicals.

The one or more bubbles may take the form of a small quantity of gas, including air, that is trapped or maintained in the cavities, unfilled spaces, or holes of the multiplicity of hollow objects, bodies, elements or structures.

The scope of the invention is intended to include the synthetic bubbles or beads shown herein being made from a polymer or polymer-based material, or a silica or silica-based, or a glass or glass-based material.

Figures 6-1 1 : Releasing Mechanism

Various embodiments of the present invention are envisioned as examples to show that the valuable minerals can be mechanically, chemically, thermally, optically or electromagnetically removed or released from the enriched synthetic beads or bubbles.

By way of example, the bead recovery process or processor 50 as shown in

Figure 1 can be adapted for the removal of valuable minerals from the enriched synthetic beads or bubbles in different ways. The releasing apparatus may include, or take the form of, a heater 150 (Figure 6) configured to provide thermal heat for the removal of the valuable minerals from the enriched synthetic beads or bubbles; an ultrasonic wave producer 164 (Figure 7) configured to provide an ultrasonic wave for the removal of valuable minerals from the enriched synthetic beads or bubbles, a container 168 (Figure 8) configured to provide an acid or acidic solution 170 for the removal of the valuable minerals from the enriched synthetic beads or bubbles; a microwave source 172 (Figure 9) configured to provide microwaves for the removal of the valuable minerals from the enriched synthetic beads or bubbles, a motor 186 and a stirrer 188 (Figure 10) configured to stir the enriched synthetic beads or bubbles for the removal of the valuable minerals from the enriched synthetic beads or bubbles; and multiple release or recovery processors (Figure 1 1 ) configured to use multiple release or recovery techniques for the removal of the valuable minerals from the enriched synthetic beads or bubbles. According to some embodiments of the present invention, the aforementioned releasing apparatus may be responsive to signalling, e.g., from a controller or control processor. In view of the aforementioned, and by way of example, the releasing techniques are set forth in detail below: Thermally Releasing Valuable Material

The synthetic beads or bubbles 70, as shown in Figure 3a to 5c, can be made of a polymer which is softened when subjected to elevated temperature. It is known that a polymer may become rubbery above a certain temperature. This is due to the polymer- glass transition at a glass transition temperature, Tg. In general, the physical properties of a polymer are dependent on the size or length of the polymer chain. In polymers above a certain molecular weight, increasing chain length tends to increase the glass transition temperature Tg. This is a result of the increase in chain interactions such as Van der Waals attractions and entanglements that may come with increased chain length. A polymer such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), has a glass transition temperature around 83 degrees Celsius. If the polymer bubbles or beads 70 have a hair-like surface structures 98 (see Figure 5d) in order to trap the mineral particles 72 (see Figure 3b), the hair-like surface structures 98 could become soft. Thus, in a certain polymer at the rubbery state, the hair-like surface structures 98 could lose the ability of holding the mineral particles. Since the separation process as shown in Figures 1 and 2 is likely to take place in room temperature or around 23 degrees Celsius. Any temperature, say, higher than 50 degrees Celsius, could soften the hair-like surface structures 98 (see Figure 5d). For synthetic bubbles or beads 70 made of PVC, a temperature around or higher than 83 degrees Celsius can be used to dislodge the mineral particles from the surface structure of the synthetic bubbles or beads. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the bead recovery process or processor 50 as shown in Figure 1 can be adapted for removing the mineral particles in the enriched polymer bubbles 18. For example, as the reclaimed water is moved out of the thickener 60 through piping 64, a heater 150 can be used to heat the reclaimed water as shown in Figure 6. As such, the heated reclaimed water 152 can be arranged to wash the enriched polymer bubbles 18 inside the flotation column 54, thereby releasing at least some of the valuable material or mineral particles attached on the enriched polymer bubbles 18 to piping 58. It is possible to heat the reclaimed water to or beyond the glass transition temperature of the polymer that is used to make the polymer bubbles. The elevated temperature of the heated reclaimed water 152 could also weaken the bonds between the collectors 78 and the mineral particles 72 (see Figure 3b). It is possible to use a heater to boil the water into steam and to apply the steam to the enriched polymer bubbles. It is also possible to generate superheated steam under a pressure and to apply the superheated steam to the enriched polymer bubbles.

Sonically Releasing Valuable Material

When ultrasonic waves are applied in a solution or mixture containing the enriched polymer bubbles or beads, at least two possible effects could take place in interrupting the attachment of the valuable material to the surface of the polymer bubbles or beads. The sound waves could cause the attached mineral particles to move rapidly against the surface of the polymer bubbles or beads, thereby shaking the mineral particles loose from the surface. The sound waves could also cause a shape change to the synthetic bubbles, affecting the physical structures on the surface of the synthetic bubbles. It is known that ultrasound is a cyclic sound pressure with a frequency greater than the upper limit of human hearing. Thus, in general, ultrasound goes from just above 20 kilohertz (KHz) all the way up to about 300KHz. In ultrasonic cleaners, low frequency ultrasonic cleaners have a tendency to remove larger particle sizes more effectively than higher operational frequencies. However, higher operational frequencies tend to produce a more penetrating scrubbing action and to remove particles of a smaller size more effectively. In mineral releasing applications involving mineral particles finer than Ι ΟΟμιτι to 1 mm or larger, according to some embodiments of the present invention, the ultrasonic wave frequencies range from 10Hz to 10MHz. By way of example, the bead recovery process or processor 50 as shown in Figure 1 can be adapted for removing the mineral particles in the enriched polymer bubbles 18 by applying ultrasound to the solution in the flotation column 54. For example, as the reclaimed water from piping 64 is used to wash the enriched polymer bubbles 18 inside the flotation column 54, it is possible to use an ultrasonic wave producer 164 to apply the ultrasound 166 in order to release the valuable material (mineral particles 72, Figure 3b) from the enriched polymer bubbles 18. A diagram illustrating the ultrasonic application is shown in Figure 7. According to some embodiments of the present application, an ultrasonic frequency that is the resonant frequency of the synthetic beads or bubbles is selected for mineral releasing applications.

Chemically Releasing Valuable Material

In physisorption, the valuable minerals are reversibly associated with the synthetic bubbles or beads, attaching due to electrostatic attraction, and/or van der Waals bonding, and/or hydrophobic attraction, and/or adhesive attachment. The physisorbed mineral particles can be desorbed or released from the surface of the synthetic bubbles or beads if the pH value of the solution changes. Furthermore, the surface chemistry of the most minerals is affected by the pH. Some minerals develop a positive surface charge under acidic conditions and a negative charge under alkaline conditions. The effect of pH changes is generally dependent on the collector and the mineral collected. For example, chalcopyrite becomes desorbed at a higher pH value than galena, and galena becomes desorbed at a higher pH value than pyrite. If the valuable mineral is collected at a pH of 8 to 1 1 , it is possible to weaken the bonding between the valuable mineral and the surface of the polymer bubbles or beads by lower the pH to 7 and lower. However, an acidic solution having a pH value of 5 or lower would be more effective in releasing the valuable mineral from the enriched polymer bubbles or beads. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the bead recovery process or processor 50 as shown in Figure 1 can be adapted for removing the mineral particles in the enriched polymer bubbles 1 8 by changing the pH of the solution in the flotation column 54. For example, as the reclaimed water from piping 64 is used to wash the enriched polymer bubbles 18 inside the flotation column 54, it is possible to use a container 168 to release an acid or acidic solution 170 into the reclaimed water as shown in Figure 8. There are a number of acids easily available for changing the pH. For example, sulfuric acid (HCI), hydrochloric acid (H2SO4), nitric acid (HNO3), perchloric acid (HCIO4), hydrobromic acid (HBr) and hydroiodic acid (HI) are among the strong acids that completely dissociate in water. However, sulfuric acid and hydrochloric acid can give the greater pH change at the lowest cost. The pH value used for mineral releasing ranges from 7 to 0. Using a very low pH may cause the polymer beads to degrade. It should be noted that, however, when the valuable material is copper, for example, it is possible to provide a lower pH environment for the attachment of mineral particles and to provide a higher pH environment for the releasing of the mineral particles from the synthetic beads or bubbles.

In general, the pH value is chosen to facilitate the strongest attachment, and a different pH value is chosen to facilitate release. Thus, according to some embodiments of the present invention, one pH value is chosen for mineral attachment, and a different pH value is chosen for mineral releasing. The different pH could be higher or lower, depending on the specific mineral and collector.

The physisorbed mineral particles can be desorbed or released from the surface of the synthetic bubbles or beads if a surface active agent is introduced which interferes with the adhesive bond between the particles and the surface. In one embodiment, when the surface active agent is combined with mechanical energy, the particle easily detaches from the surface. Electromagnetically Releasing Valuable Material

More than one way can be used to interrupt the bonding between the mineral particles and the synthetic bubbles or beads electromagnetically. For example, it is possible to use microwaves to heat up the enriched synthetic bubbles or beads and the water in the flotation column. It is also possible use a laser beam to weaken the bonds between the functional groups and the polymer surface itself. Thus, it is possible to provide a microwave source or a laser light source where the enriched synthetic bubbles or beads are processed. By way of example, the bead recovery process or processor 50 as shown in Figure 1 can be adapted for removing the mineral particles in the enriched polymer bubbles 18 by using an electromagnetic source to provide electromagnetic waves to the solution or mixture in the flotation column 54. For example, as the reclaimed water from piping 64 is used to wash the enriched polymer bubbles 18 inside the flotation column 54, it is possible to use a microwave source 172 to apply the microwave beam 174 in order to release the valuable material (mineral particles 72, Figure 3b) from the enriched polymer bubbles 18. A diagram illustrating the ultrasonic application is shown in Figure 9.

Mechanically Releasing Valuable Material

When the enriched synthetic bubbles or beads are densely packed such that they are in a close proximity to each other, the rubbing action among adjacent synthetic bubbles or beads may cause the mineral particles attached to the enriched synthetic bubbles or beads to be detached. By way of example, the bead recovery process or processor 50 as shown in Figure 1 can be adapted for removing the mineral particles in the enriched polymer bubbles 18 mechanically. For example, a motor 186 and a stirrer 188 are used to move the enriched polymer bubbles around, causing the enriched polymer bubbles or beads 18 inside the flotation column 54 to rub against each other. If the synthetic bubbles or beads are magnetic, the stirrer 188 can be a magnetic stirrer. A diagram illustrating a mechanical release of valuable material is shown in Figure 10.

Other Types or Kinds of Release Techniques

A heater like element 150 (Figure 6), an ultrasonic wave producer like element 164 (Figure 7), a container like element 168 (Figure 8), a microwave source like element 172 (Figure 9), a motor and stirrer like elements 186 188 (Figure 10) are known in the art, and the scope of the invention is not intended to be limited to any particular type or kind thereof either now known or later developed in the future.

The scope of the invention is also intended to include other types or kinds of releasing apparatus consistent with the spirit of the present invention either now known or later developed in the future.

Multi-Stage Removal of Valuable Material

More than one of the methods for releasing the valuable material from the enriched synthetic bubbles or beads can be used in the same bead recovery process or processor at the same time. For example, while the enriched synthetic bubbles or beads 18 are subjected to ultrasonic agitation (see Figure 7), the reclaimed water can also be heated by a water heater, such as a heater 150 as depicted in Figure 6.

Furthermore, an acidic solution can be also added to the water to lower the pH in the flotation column 54. In a different embodiment of the present invention, same or different releasing methods are used sequentially in different stages. By way of example, the enriched polymer bubbles 216 from the separation apparatus 200 (see Figure 2) can be processed in a multi-state processor 203 as shown in Figure 1 1 . The apparatus 200 has a first recovery processor 218 where an acidic solution is used to release the valuable material at least partially from the enriched polymer bubbles 216. A filter 219 is used to separate the released mineral 226 from the polymer bubbles 220. At a second recovery processor 222, an ultrasound source is used to apply ultrasonic agitation to the polymer bubbles 220 in order to release the remaining valuable material, if any, from the polymer bubbles. A filter 223 is used to separate the released mineral 226 from the reclaimed polymer bubbles 224. It is understood that more than two processing stages can be carried out and different combinations of releasing methods are possible.

Figure 12: Horizontal Pipeline

According to some embodiments of the present invention, the separation process can be carried out in a horizontal pipeline as shown in Figure 12. As shown in Figure 12, the synthetic bubbles or beads 308 may be used in, or form part of, a size- based separation process using countercurrent flows with mixing implemented in apparatus such as a horizontal pipeline generally indicated as 300. In Figure 12, the horizontal pipeline 310 is configured with a screen 31 1 to separate the enriched synthetic bubbles or beads 302 having the valuable material attached thereto from the mixture based at least partly on the difference in size. The horizontal pipeline 310 may be configured to separate the enriched synthetic bubbles or beads 302 having the valuable material attached thereto from the mixture using countercurrent flows with mixing, so as to receive in the horizontal pipeline 310 slurry 304 flowing in a first direction A, receive in the horizontal pipeline 300 synthetic bubbles or beads 308 flowing in a second direction B opposite to the first direction A, provide from the horizontal pipeline 308 the enriched synthetic bubbles or beads 302 having the valuable material attached thereto and flowing in the second direction B, and provide from the horizontal pipeline 310 waste or tailings 306 that is separated from the mixture using the screen 31 1 and flowing in the second direction B. In a horizontal pipeline 310, it is not necessary that the synthetic beads or bubbles 308 be lighter than the slurry 304. The density of the synthetic beads or bubbles 308 can be substantially equal to the density of the slurry 304 so that the synthetic beads or bubbles can be in a suspension state while they are mixed with slurry 304 in the horizontal pipeline 310.

It should be understood that the sized-based bead or bubble, weight-based bead or bubble, magnetic-based bead or bubble as described in conjunction with Figures 3a-5d can be functionalized to be hydrophobic so as to attract mineral particles. Figure 13a shows a generalized hydrophobic synthetic bead, Figure 13b shows an enlarged portion of the bead surface and a mineral particle, and Figure 13b shows an enlarged portion of the bead surface and a non-mineral particle. As shown in Figure 13a the hydrophobic synthetic bead 170 has a polymer surface 174 and a plurality of particles 172, 172' attached to the polymer surface 174. Figure 13b shows an enlarged portion of the polymer surface 174 on which a plurality of molecules 179 rendering the polymer surface 174 hydrophobic.

A mineral particle 171 in the slurry, after combined with one or more collector molecules 73, becomes a wetted mineral particle 172. The collector molecule 73 has a functional group 78 attached to the mineral particle 171 and a hydrophobic end or molecular segment 76. The hydrophobic end or molecular segment 76 is attracted to the hydrophobic molecules 179 on the polymer surface 174. Figure 13c shows an enlarged portion of the polymer surface 174 with a plurality of hydrophobic molecules 179 for attracting a non-mineral particle 172'. The non-mineral particle 172' has a particle body 171 ' with one or more hydrophobic molecular segments 76 attached thereto. The hydrophobic end or molecular segment 76 is attracted to the hydrophobic molecules 179 on the polymer surface 174. The term "polymer" in this specification means a large molecule made of many units of the same or similar structure linked together. Furthermore, the polymer associated with Figures 13a-13c can be naturally

hydrophobic or functionalized to be hydrophobic. Some polymers having a long hydrocarbon chain or silicon-oxygen backbone, for example, tend to be hydrophobic. Hydrophobic polymers include polystyrene, poly(d,l-lactide), poly(dimethylsiloxane), polypropylene, polyacrylic, polyethylene, etc. The bubbles or beads, such as synthetic bead 170 can be made of glass to be coated with hydrophobic silicone polymer including polysiloxanates so that the bubbles or beads become hydrophobic. The bubbles or beads can be made of metal to be coated with silicone alkyd copolymer, for example, so as to render the bubbles or beads hydrophobic. The bubbles or beads can be made of ceramic to be coated with fluoroalkylsilane, for example, so as to render the bubbles and beads hydrophobic. The bubbles or beads can be made of hydrophobic polymers, such as polystyrene and polypropylene to provide a hydrophobic surface. The wetted mineral particles attached to the hydrophobic synthetic bubble or beads can be released thermally, ultrasonically, electromagnetically, mechanically or in a low pH environment.

Figure 14a illustrates a scenario where a mineral particle 72 is attached to a number of synthetic beads 74 at the same time. Thus, although the synthetic beads 74 are much smaller in size than the mineral particle 72, a number of synthetic beads 74 may be able to lift the mineral particle 72 upward in a flotation cell. Likewise, a smaller mineral particle 72 can also be lifted upward by a number of synthetic beads 74 as shown in Figure 14b. In order to increase the likelihood for this "cooperative" lifting to occur, a large number of synthetic beads 74 can be mixed into the slurry. Unlike air bubbles, the density of the synthetic beads can be chosen such that the synthetic beads may stay along in the slurry before they rise to surface in a flotation cell.

Figures 15a and 15b illustrate a similar scenario. As shown, a wetted mineral particle 172 is attached to a number of hydrophobic synthetic beads 174 at the same time.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, only a portion of the surface of the synthetic bead is functionalized to be hydrophobic. This has the benefits as follows:

1 . Keeps too many beads from clumping together - or limits the clumping of beads, 2. Once a mineral is attached, the weight of the mineral is likely to force the bead to rotate, allowing the bead to be located under the bead as it rises through the flotation cell;

a. Better cleaning as it may let the gangue to pass through

b. Protects the attached mineral particle or particles from being knocked off, and c. Provides clearer rise to the top collection zone in the flotation cell.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, only a portion of the surface of the synthetic bead is functionalized with collectors. This also has the benefits of

1 . Once a mineral is attached, the weight of the mineral is likely to force the bead to rotate, allowing the bead to be located under the bead as it rises through the flotation cell;

a. Better cleaning as it may let the gangue to pass through b. Protects the attached mineral particle or particles from being knocked off, and c. Provides clearer rise to the top collection zone in the flotation cell.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, one part of the synthetic bead is functionalized with collectors while another part of same synthetic bead is functionalized to be hydrophobic as shown in Figures 16a and 16b. As shown in Figure 16a, a synthetic bead 74 has a surface portion where polymer is

functionalized to have collector molecules 73 with functional group 78 and molecular segment 76 attached to the surface of the bead 74. The synthetic bead 74 also has a different surface portion where polymer is functionalized to have hydrophobic molecules 179. In the embodiment as shown in Figure 16b, the entire surface of the synthetic bead 74 can be functionalized to have collector molecules 73, but a portion of the surface is functionalized to have hydrophobic molecules 179 render it hydrophobic.

This "hybrid" synthetic bead can collect mineral particles that are wet and not wet.

Applications

The scope of the invention is described in relation to mineral separation, including the separation of copper from ore. It should be understood that the synthetic beads according to the present invention, whether functionalized to have a collector or functionalized to be hydrophobic, are also configured for use in oilsands separation - to separate bitumen from sand and water in the recovery of bitumen in an oilsands mining operation. Likewise, the functionalized filters and membranes, according to some embodiments of the present invention, are also configured for oilsands separation. According to some embodiments of the present invention, the surface of a synthetic bead can be functionalized to have a collector molecule. The collector has a functional group with an ion capable of forming a chemical bond with a mineral particle. A mineral particle associated with one or more collector molecules is referred to as a wetted mineral particle. According to some embodiments of the present invention, the synthetic bead can be functionalized to be hydrophobic in order to collect one or more wetted mineral particles.

The scope of the invention is intended to include other types or kinds of applications either now known or later developed in the future, e.g., including a flotation circuit, leaching, smelting, a gravity circuit, a magnetic circuit, or water pollution control.

Figures 17a - 17d

As described above in conjunction with Figure 4d, the synthetic bead 70 can be a porous block or take the form of a sponge or foam with multiple segregated gas filled chamber. According to some embodiments of the present invention, the foam or sponge can take the form of a filter, a membrane or a conveyor belt as described in PCT application no. PCT/US12/39534 (Atty docket no. 712-002.359-1 ), entitled

"Mineral separation using functionalized membranes;" filed 21 May 2012, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Therefore, the synthetic beads described herein are generalized as engineered collection media. Likewise, a porous material, foam or sponge may be generalized as a material with three-dimensional open- cellular structure, an open-cell foam or reticulated foam, which can be made from soft polymers, hard plastics, ceramics, carbon fibers, glass and/or metals, and may include a hydrophobic chemical having molecules to attract and attach mineral particles to the surfaces of the engineered collection media.

Open-cell foam or reticulated foam offers an advantage over non-open cell materials by having higher surface area to volume ratio. Applying a functionalized polymer coating that promotes attachment of mineral to the foam "network" enables higher mineral recovery rates and also improves recovery of less liberated mineral than conventional process. For example, the open cells in an engineered foam block allow passage of fluid and particles smaller than the cell size but captures mineral particles that come in contact with the functionalized polymer coating on the open cells. This also allows the selection of cell size dependent upon slurry properties and application.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, the engineered collection media take the form of an open-cell foam/ structure in a rectangular block or a cubic shape 70a as illustrated in Figure 17a. Dependent upon the material that is used to make the collection media, the specific gravity of the collection media can be smaller than, equal to or greater than the slurry. Thus, when the collection media are mixed with the slurry for mineral recovery, it is advantageous to use the tumbler cells as shown in Figures 20 and 21 . These tumbler cells have been disclosed in PCT application serial no. PCT/US16US/68843 (Atty docket no. 712-002.427-1 /CCS-0157), entitled "Tumbler cell form mineral recovery using engineered media," filed 28 December 2016, which claims benefit to Provisional Application No. 62/272,026, filed 28 December 2015, which are both incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, the engineered collection media may take the form of a filter 70b with a three-dimensional open-cell structure as shown in Figure 17b. The filter 70b can be used in a filtering assembly as shown in Figure 19, for example.

According some embodiments of the present invention, the engineered collection media may take the form of a membrane 70c, a section of which is shown in Figure 17c. As seen in Figure 17c, the membrane 70c can have an open-cell foam layer attached to a substrate or base. The substrate can be made from a material which is less porous than the open-cell foam layer. For example, the substrate can be a sheet of pliable polymer to enhance the durability of the membrane. The membrane 70c can be used as a conveyor belt as shown in Figure 18, for example.

According some embodiments of the present invention, the engineered collection media may take the form of a membrane 70d, a section of which is shown in Figure 17d. As seen in Figure 17d, the membrane 70d can have two open-cell foam layers attached to two sides of a substrate or base. The substrate can made of a material which is less porous than the open-cell foam layer. The membrane 70d can also be used as a conveyor belt as shown in Figure 18, for example.

In various embodiments of the present invention, the engineered collection media as shown in Figures 17a-17d may include, or take the form of, a solid-phase body configured with a three-dimensional open-cell structure to provide a plurality of collection surfaces; and a coating may be configured to provide on the collection surfaces a plurality of molecules comprising a functional group having a chemical bond for attracting one or more mineral particles in an aqueous mixture to the molecules, causing the mineral particles to attached to the collection surfaces.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the open-cell structure or foam may include a coating attached thereto to provide a plurality of molecules to attract mineral particles, the coating including a hydrophobic chemical selected from a group consisting of polysiloxanates, poly(dimethylsiloxane) and fluoroalkylsilane, or what are commonly known as pressure sensitive adhesives with low surface energy.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the solid phase body may be made from a material selected from polyurethane, polyester urethane, polyether urethane, reinforced urethanes, PVC coated PV, silicone, polychloroprene,

polyisocyanurate, polystyrene, polyolefin, polyvinylchloride, epoxy, latex, fluoropolymer, polypropylene, phenolic, EPDM, and nitrile.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the solid phase body may including a coating or layer, e.g., that may be modified with tackifiers, plasticizers, crosslinking agents, chain transfer agents, chain extenders, adhesion promoters, aryl or alky copolymers, fluorinated copolymers, hexamethyldisilazane, silica or hydrophobic silica.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the solid phase body may include a coating or layer, e.g., made of a material selected from acrylics, butyl rubber, ethylene vinyl acetate, natural rubber, nitriles; styrene block copolymers with ethylene, propylene, and isoprene; polyurethanes, and polyvinyl ethers. In some embodiments of the present invention, an adhesion agent may be provided between the solid phase body and the coating so as to promote adhesion between the solid phase body and the coating.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the solid phase body may be made of plastic, ceramic, carbon fiber or metal.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the three-dimensional open-cell structure may include pores ranging from 10-200 pores per inch.

In some embodiments of the present inventions, the engineered collection media may be encased in a cage structure that allows a mineral-containing slurry to pass through the cage structure so as to facilitate the contact between the mineral particles in slurry and the engineered collection media.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the cage structures or the filters carrying mineral particles may be removed from the processor so that they can be stripped of the mineral particles, cleaned and reused.

Figure 18: The Functionalized Polymer Coated Conveyor Belt By way of example, Figure 18 shows the present invention is the form of a machine, device, system or apparatus 400, e.g., for separating valuable material from unwanted material in a mixture 401 , such as a pulp slurry, using a first processor 402 and a second processor 404. The first processor 402 and the second processor 404 may be configured with a functionalized polymer coated member that is shown, e.g., as a functionalized polymer coated conveyor belt 420 that runs between the first processor 402 and the second processor 404, according to some embodiments of the present invention. The arrows A1 , A2, A3 indicate the movement of the functionalized polymer coated conveyor belt 420. Techniques, including motors, gearing, etc., for running a conveyor belt like element 420 between two processors like elements 402 and 404 are known in the art, and the scope of the invention is not intended to be limited to any particular type or kind thereof either now know or later developed in the future.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, the functionalized polymer coated conveyor belt 420 may include a layer structure as shown in Figures 17c or 17d.

The first processor 402 may take the form of a first chamber, tank, cell or column that contains an attachment rich environment generally indicated as 406. The first chamber, tank or column 402 may be configured to receive the mixture or pulp slurry 401 in the form of fluid (e.g., water), the valuable material and the unwanted material in the attachment rich environment 406, e.g., which has a high pH, conducive to

attachment of the valuable material. The second processor 404 may take the form of a second chamber, tank, cell or column that contains a release rich environment generally indicated as 408. The second chamber, tank, cell or column 404 may be configured to receive, e.g., water 422 in the release rich environment 408, e.g., which may have a low pH or receive ultrasonic waves conducive to release of the valuable material. Alternatively, a surfactant may be used in the release rich environment 408 to detach the valuable material from the conveyor belt 420 under mechanical agitation or sonic agitation, for example. Sonic agitation can be achieved by a sonic source such as the ultrasonic wave producer 164 as shown in Figure 7. Mechanical agitation can be achieved by a stirring device such as the stirrer 188 as shown in Figure 10 or by a brush (not shown) caused to rub against the surface of the conveyor belt 420 while the conveyor belt 420 is moving through the release rich environment.

In operation, the first processor 402 may be configured to receive the mixture or pulp slurry 401 of water, valuable material and unwanted material and the

functionalized polymer coated conveyor belt 420 that may be configured to attach to the valuable material in the attachment rich environment 406. In Figure 18, the belt 420 is understood to be configured and functionalized with a polymer coating to attach to the valuable material in the attachment rich environment 406.

The first processor 402 may also be configured to provide drainage from piping 441 of, e.g., tailings 442 as shown in Figure 18. The second processor 404 may also be configured to provide the valuable material that is released from the enriched functionalized polymer coated member into the release rich environment 408. For example, in Figure 18 the second processor 404 is shown configured to provide via piping 461 drainage of the valuable material in the form of a concentrate 462.

Figure 19: The Functionalized Polymer Coated Filter By way of example, Figure 19 shows the present invention is the form of a machine, device, system or apparatus 500, e.g., for separating valuable material from unwanted material in a mixture 501 , such as a pulp slurry, using a first processor 502, 502' and a second processor 504, 504'. The first processor 502 and the second processor 504 may be configured to process a functionalized polymer coated member that is shown, e.g., as a functionalized polymer coated collection filter 520 configured to be moved between the first processor 502 and the second processor 504' as shown in Figure 19 as part of a batch type process, according to some embodiments of the present invention. In Figure 19, and by way of example, the batch type process is shown as having two first processor 502, 502' and second processor 504, 504, although the scope of the invention is not intended to be limited to the number of first or second processors. According to some embodiments of the present invention, the functionalized polymer coated collection filter 520 may take the form of an engineered collection media having an open-cell structure or made of a foam block as shown in Figure 17b. The arrow B1 indicates the movement of the functionalized polymer coated filter 520 from the first processor 502, and the arrow B2 indicates the movement of the functionalized polymer coated collection filter 520 into the second processor 502.

Techniques, including motors, gearing, etc., for moving a filter like element 520 from one processor to another processor like elements 502 and 504 are known in the art, and the scope of the invention is not intended to be limited to any particular type or kind thereof either now know or later developed in the future.

The first processor 502 may take the form of a first chamber, tank, cell or column that contains an attachment rich environment which has a high pH, conducive to attachment of the valuable material. The second processor 504 may take the form of a second chamber, tank, cell or column that contains a release rich environment which may have a low pH or receive ultrasonic waves conducive to release of the valuable material. Alternatively, the second process 504 may be configured as a stripping tank where a surfactant is used to release the valuable material from the filter 522 under mechanical agitation or sonic agitation, for example. The first processor 502 may also be configured to provide drainage from piping 541 of, e.g., tailings 542 as shown in Figure 19. The second processor 504 may be configured to receive the fluid 522 (e.g. water) and the enriched functionalized polymer coated collection filter 520 to release the valuable material in the release rich environment. For example, in Figure 19 the second processor 504 is shown configured to provide via piping 561 drainage of the valuable material in the form of a concentrate 562.

The first processor 502' may also be configured with piping 580 and pumping 280 to recirculate the tailings 542 back into the first processor 502'. The scope of the invention is also intended to include the second processor 504' being configured with corresponding piping and pumping to recirculate the concentrate 562 back into the second processor 504'.

Figures 20 and 21 : Tumbler Cells

According to some embodiments of the present invention, the engineered collection media as shown in Figure 17a can be used for mineral recovery in a co- current device as shown in Figure 20. Figure 20 illustrates a co-current tumbler cell configured to enhance the contact between the engineered collection media and the mineral particles in a slurry.

As seen in Figure 20, the tumbler cell 600 may include a container 602 configured to hold a mixture comprising engineered collection media 70a and a pulp slurry or slurry 677. The slurry 677 may contain mineral particles (see Figures 3a and 3b). The container 602 may include a first input 614 configured to receive the engineered collection media 70a and a second input 618 configured to receive the slurry 677. On the other side of the container 602, an output 620 may be provided for discharging at least part of the mixture 681 from the container 602 after the engineered collection media 70a are caused to interact with the mineral particles in slurry 677 in the container. The mixture 681 may contain mineral laden media or loaded media and ore residue or tailings 679. The arrangement of the inputs and output on the container 602 as shown in Figure 20 is known as a co-current configuration. The engineered collection media 70a may include collection surfaces functionalized with a chemical having molecules to attract the mineral particles to the collection surface so as to form mineral laden media. In general, if the specific gravity of the engineered collection media 70a is smaller than the slurry 677, then a substantial amount of the engineered collection media 70a in the container 602 may stay afloat on top the slurry 677. If the specific gravity of the collection media 70a is greater than the slurry 677, then a substantial amount of the engineered collection media 70a may sink to the bottom of the container 602. As such, the interaction between the engineered collection media 70a and the mineral particles in slurry 677 may not be efficient to form mineral laden media. In order to increase or enhance the contact between the engineered collection media 70a and the mineral particles in slurry 677, the container 602 may be caused to turn, e.g., such that at least some of the mixture in the upper part of the container may be caused to interact with at least some of mixture in the lower part of the container 602. After being discharged from the container 602, the mixture 681 having mineral laden media and ore residue may be processed through a separation device such as a screen so that the mineral laden media and the ore residue can be separated. The container 602 can be a horizontal pipe or cylindrical drum configured to be rotated, as indicated by numeral 610, along a horizontal axis, for example.

Figure 21 illustrates a cross-current tumbler cell configured to enhance the contact between the collection media and the mineral particles in a slurry, according to some embodiments of the present invention. As seen in Figure 21 , the container 602 of the tumbler cell 600' a first input 614, a second input 618, a first output 622 and a second output 624. The first input 614 may be arranged to receive engineered collection media 70a and the second output 624 is arranged to discharge ore residue 679. The second input 618 may be arranged to receive slurry 677 and the first output 622 is arranged to discharge mineral laden media 670. The arrangement of the inputs and outputs on the container 602 is known as a counter-current configuration. In the counter-current configuration, an internal separation device such as a screen may be used to prevent the medium laden media and the engineered collection media 70a in the container 602 from being discharged through the second output 624. As such, what is discharged through the second output 624 is ore residue or tailings 679. By rotating the container 602 along the rotation axis 691 , at least some of the mixture in an upper part of the container 602 may be caused to interact with at least some of the mixture in a lower part of the container 602 so as to increase or enhance the contact between the engineered collection media 70a and the mineral particles in slurry 677.

Three Dimensional Functionalized Open-Network Structure Surface area is an important property in the mineral recovery process because it defines the amount of mass that can be captured and recovered. High surface area to volume ratios allows higher recovery per unit volume of media added to a cell. As illustrated in Figures 17a to 17d, the engineered collection media are shown as having an open-cell structure. Open cell or reticulated foam offers an advantage over other media shapes such as the sphere by having higher surface area to volume ratio.

Applying a functionalized polymer coating that promotes attachment of mineral to the foam "network " enables higher recovery rates and improved recovery of less liberated mineral when compared to the conventional process. For example, open cells allow passage of fluid and unattracted particles smaller than the cell size but capture mineral bearing particles that come in contact with the functionalized polymer coating.

Selection of cell size is dependent upon slurry properties and application.

The coated foam may be cut in a variety of shapes and forms. For example, a polymer coated foam belt can be moved through the slurry to collect the desired minerals and then cleaned to remove the collected desired minerals. The cleaned foam belt can be reintroduced into the slurry. Strips, blocks, and/or sheets of coated foam of varying size can also be used where they are randomly mixed along with the slurry in a mixing cell. The thickness and cell size of a foam can be dimensioned to be used as a cartridge-like filter which can be removed, cleaned of recovered mineral, and reused.

As mentioned earlier, the open cell or reticulated foam, when coated or soaked with hydrophobic chemical, offers an advantage over other media shapes such as sphere by having higher surface area to volume ratio. Surface area is an important property in the mineral recovery process because it defines the amount of mass that can be captured and recovered. High surface area to volume ratios allows higher recovery per unit volume of media added to a cell. The open cell or reticulated foam provides functionalized three dimensional open network structures having high surface area with extensive interior surfaces and tortuous paths protected from abrasion and premature release of attached mineral particles. This provides for enhanced collection and increased functional durability. Spherical shaped recovery media, such as beads, and also of belts, and filters, is poor surface area to volume ratio - these media do not provide high surface area for maximum collection of mineral. Furthermore, certain media such as beads, belts and filters may be subject to rapid degradation of functionality.

Applying a functionalized polymer coating that promotes attachment of mineral to the foam "network " enables higher recovery rates and improved recovery of less liberated mineral when compared to the conventional process. This foam is open cell so it allows passage of fluid and unattracted particles smaller than the cell size but captures mineral bearing particles the come in contact with the functionalized polymer coating. Selection of cell size is dependent upon slurry properties and application.

A three-dimensional open cellular structure optimized to provide a compliant, tacky surface of low energy enhances collection of hydrophobic or hydrophobized mineral particles ranging widely in particle size. This structure may include, or take the form of, open-cell foam coated with a compliant, tacky polymer of low surface energy. The foam may include, or take the form of, reticulated polyurethane or another appropriate open-cell foam material such as silicone, polychloroprene,

polyisocyanurate, polystyrene, polyolefin, polyvinylchloride, epoxy, latex, fluoropolymer, phenolic, EPDM, nitrile, composite foams and such. The coating may be a polysiloxane derivative such as polydimethylsiloxane and may be modified with tackifiers, plasticizers, crosslinking agents, chain transfer agents, chain extenders, adhesion promoters, aryl or alky copolymers, fluorinated copolymers, hydrophobizing agents such as hexamethyldisilazane, and/or inorganic particles such as silica or hydrophobic silica.

Alternatively, the coating may include, or take the form of, materials typically known as pressure sensitive adhesives, e.g. acrylics, butyl rubber, ethylene vinyl acetate, natural rubber, nitriles; styrene block copolymers with ethylene, propylene, and isoprene;

polyurethanes, and polyvinyl ethers as long as they are formulated to be compliant and tacky with low surface energy.

The three-dimensional open cellular structure may be coated with a primer or other adhesion agent to promote adhesion of the outer collection coating to the underlying structure.

In addition to soft polymeric foams, other three-dimensional open cellular structures such as hard plastics, ceramics, carbon fiber, and metals may be used.

Examples include Incofoam®, Duocel®, metal and ceramic foams produced by

American Elements®, and porous hard plastics such as polypropylene honeycombs and such. These structures must be similarly optimized to provide a compliant, tacky surface of low energy by coating as above.

The three-dimensional, open cellular structures above may be coated or may be directly reacted to form a compliant, tacky surface of low energy.

The three-dimensional, open cellular structure may itself form a compliant, tacky surface of low energy by, for example, forming such a structure directly from the coating polymers as described above. This is accomplished through methods of forming open- cell polymeric foams known to the art. The structure may be in the form of sheets, cubes, spheres, or other shapes as well as densities (described by pores per inch and pore size distribution), and levels of tortuosity that optimize surface access, surface area, mineral attachment/ detachment kinetics, and durability. These structures may be additionally optimized to target certain mineral particle size ranges, with denser structures acquiring smaller particle sizes. In general, cellular densities may range from 10 - 200 pores per inch, more preferably 30 - 90 pores per inch, and most preferably 30 - 60 pores per inch.

The specific shape or form of the structure may be selected for optimum performance for a specific application. For example, the structure (coated foam for example) may be cut in a variety of shapes and forms. For example, a polymer coated foam belt could be moved through the slurry removing the desired mineral whereby it is cleaned and reintroduced into the slurry. Strips, blocks, and/or sheets of coated foam of varying size could also be used where they are randomly mixed along with the slurry in a mixing cell. Alternatively, a conveyor structure may be formed where the foam is encased in a cage structure that allows a mineral-containing slurry to pass through the cage structure to be introduced to the underlying foam structure where the mineral can react with the foam and thereafter be further processed in accordance with the present invention. The thickness and cell size could be changed to a form cartridge like filter whereby the filter is removed, cleaned of recovered mineral, and reused. Figure 22 is an example a section of polymer coated reticulated foam that was used to recovery Chalcopyrite mineral. Mineral particles captured from copper ore slurry can be seen throughout the foam network. There are numerous characteristics of the foam that may be important and should also be considered, as follows:

Mechanical durability: Ideally, the foam will be durable in the mineral separation process. For example, a life of over 30,000 cycles in a plant system would be beneficial. As discussed above, there are numerous foam structures that can provide the desired durability, including polyester urethanes, polyether urethanes, reinforced urethanes, more durable shapes (spheres & cylinders), composites like PVC coated PU, and non-urethanes. Other potential mechanically durable foam candidate includes metal, ceramic, and carbon fiber foams and hard, porous plastics.

Chemical durability: The mineral separation process can involve a high pH environment (up to 12.5), aqueous, and abrasive. Urethanes are subject to hydrolytic degradation, especially at pH extremes. While the functionalized polymer coating provides protection for the underlying foam, ideally, the foam carrier system is resistant to the chemical environment in the event that it is exposed.

Adhesion to the coating: If the foam surface energy is too low, adhesion of the functionalized polymer coating to the foam will be very difficult and it could abrade off. However, as discussed above, a low surface energy foam may be primed with a high energy primer prior to application of the functionalized polymer coating to improve adhesion of the coating to the foam carrier. Alternatively, the surface of the foam carrier may be chemically abraded to provide "grip points" on the surface for retention of the polymer coating, or a higher surface energy foam material may be utilized. Also, the functionalized polymer coating may be modified to improve its adherence to a lower surface energy foam. Alternatively, the functionalized polymer coating could be made to covalently bond to the foam.

Surface area: Higher surface area provides more sites for the mineral to bond to the functionalized polymer coating carried by the foam substrate. There is a tradeoff between larger surface area (for example using small pore cell foam) and ability of the coated foam structure to capture mineral while allowing gangue material to pass through and not be capture, for example due to a small cell size that would effectively entrap gangue material. The foam size is selected to optimize capture of the desired mineral and minimize mechanical entrainment of undesired gangue material.

Cell size distribution: Cell diameter needs to be large enough to allow gangue and mineral to be removed but small enough to provide high surface area. There should be an optimal cell diameter distribution for the capture and removal of specific mineral particle sizes.

Tortuosity: Cells that are perfectly straight cylinders have very low tortuosity. Cells that twist and turn throughout the foam have "tortuous paths" and yield foam of high tortuosity. The degree of tortuosity may be selected to optimize the potential interaction of a mineral particle with a coated section of the foam substrate, while not be too tortuous that undesirable gangue material in entrapped by the foam substrate.

Functionalized foam: It may be possible to covalently bond functional chemical groups to the foam surface. This could include covalently bonding the functionalized polymer coating to the foam or bonding small molecules to functional groups on the surface of the foam, thereby making the mineral-adhering functionality more durable. The pore size (pores per inch (PPI)) of the foam is an important characteristic which can be leveraged to improved mineral recovery and/or target a specific size range of mineral. As the PPI increases the specific surface area (SSA) of the foam also increases. A high SSA presented to the process increases the probability of particle contact which results in a decrease in required residence time. This in turn, can lead to smaller size reactors. At the same time, higher PPI foam acts as a filter due to the smaller pore size and allows only particles smaller than the pores to enter into its core. This enables the ability to target, for example, mineral fines over coarse particles or opens the possibility of blending a combination of different PPI foam to optimize recovery performance across a specific size distribution.

The Related Family

This application is also related to a family of nine PCT applications, which were all concurrently filed on 25 May 2012, as follows:

PCT application no. PCT/US12/39528 (Atty docket no. 712-002.356-1 ), entitled

"Flotation separation using lightweight synthetic bubbles and beads;"

PCT application no. PCT/US12/39524 (Atty docket no. 712-002.359-1 ), entitled "Mineral separation using functionalized polymer membranes;"

PCT application no. PCT/US12/39540 (Atty docket no. 712-002.359-2), entitled "Mineral separation using sized, weighted and magnetized beads;"

PCT application no. PCT/US12/39576 (Atty docket no. 712-002.382), entitled "Synthetic bubbles/beads functionalized with molecules for attracting or attaching to mineral particles of interest," which corresponds to U.S. Patent No. 9,352,335; PCT application serial no. PCT/US 12/39591 (712-2.383-1 /CCS-0090), entitled "Method and system for releasing mineral from synthetic bubbles and beads," filed 25 May 2012, which itself claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61 /489,893, filed 25 May 201 1 , and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61 /533,544, filed 12 September 201 1 , which corresponds to co-pending U.S. Patent Application No. 14/1 17,912, filed 15 November 2013;

PCT application no. PCT/US/39596 (Atty docket no. 712-002.384), entitled "Synthetic bubbles and beads having hydrophobic surface;"

PCT application no. PCT/US/39631 (Atty docket no. 712-002.385), entitled "Mineral separation using functionalized filters and membranes," which corresponds to U.S. Patent No. 9,302,270;"

PCT application no. PCT/US12/39655 (Atty docket no. 712-002.386), entitled "Mineral recovery in tailings using functionalized polymers;" and

PCT application no. PCT/US12/39658 (Atty docket no. 712-002.387), entitled "Techniques for transporting synthetic beads or bubbles In a flotation cell or column," all of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety.

This application also related to PCT application no. PCT/US2013/042202 (Atty docket no. 712-002.389-1 /CCS-0086), filed 22 May 2013, entitled "Charged engineered polymer beads/bubbles functionalized with molecules for attracting and attaching to mineral particles of interest for flotation separation," which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61 /650,210, filed 22 May 2012, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. This application is also related to PCT/US2014/037823, filed 13 May 2014, entitled "Polymer surfaces having a siloxane functional group," which claims benefit to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61 /822,679 (Atty docket no. 712-002.395/CCS- 0123), filed 13 May 2013, as well as U.S. Patent Application No. 14/1 18,984 (Atty docket no. 712-002.385/CCS-0092), filed 27 January 2014, and is a continuation-in-part to PCT application no. PCT/US12/39631 (712-2.385//CCS-0092), filed 25 May 2012, which are all hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

This application also related to PCT application no. PCT/US13/28303 (Atty docket no. 712-002.377-1 /CCS-0081 /82), filed 28 February 2013, entitled "Method and system for flotation separation in a magnetically controllable and steerable foam," which is also hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

This application also related to PCT application no. PCT/US 16/57334 (Atty docket no. 712-002.424-1 /CCS-0151 ), filed 17 October 2016, entitled "Opportunities for recovery augmentation process as applied to molybdenum production," which is also hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

This application also related to PCT application no. PCT/US 16/37322 (Atty docket no. 712-002.425-1 /CCS-0152), filed 17 October 2016, entitled "Mineral beneficiation utilizing engineered materials for mineral separation and coarse particle recovery," which is also hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

This application also related to PCT application no. PCT/US 16/62242 (Atty docket no. 712-002.426-1 /CCS-0154), filed 16 November 2016, entitled "Utilizing engineered media for recovery of minerals in tailings stream at the end of a flotation separation process," which is also hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. This application is related to PCT application serial no. PCT/US16US/68843 (Atty docket no. 712-002.427-1 /CCS-0157), entitled "Tumbler cell form mineral recovery using engineered media," filed 28 December 2016, which claims benefit to Provisional Application No. 62/272,026, entitled "Tumbler Cell Design for Mineral Recovery Using Engineered Media", filed 28 December 2015, which are both incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

The Scope of the Invention

It should be further appreciated that any of the features, characteristics, alternatives or modifications described regarding a particular embodiment herein may also be applied, used, or incorporated with any other embodiment described herein. It should be noted that the engineered collection media having the open-cell structure as shown in Figure 17a, for example, can be made of a material that has a specific gravity smaller than, equal to or greater than that of the slurry. The engineered collection media can be made from a magnetic polymer or have a magnetic core so that the para- , ferri-, ferro-magnetism of the engineered collection media is greater than the para-, ferri-, ferro-magnetism of the unwanted ground ore particles in the slurry. Thus, although the invention has been described and illustrated with respect to exemplary embodiments thereof, the foregoing and various other additions and omissions may be made therein and thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.