(19) |
 |
|
(11) |
EP 0 030 802 A3 |
(12) |
EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
(88) |
Date of publication A3: |
|
20.07.1983 Bulletin 1983/29 |
(43) |
Date of publication A2: |
|
24.06.1981 Bulletin 1981/25 |
(22) |
Date of filing: 20.11.1980 |
|
|
(84) |
Designated Contracting States: |
|
AT BE CH DE FR GB IT LI NL SE |
(30) |
Priority: |
05.12.1979 US 100618 31.12.1979 US 108611
|
(71) |
Applicant: OCCIDENTAL RESEARCH CORPORATION |
|
() |
|
(72) |
Inventors: |
|
- DiGiacomo, Peter Michael
()
- White, William R.
()
- McKinley, John Richard
()
- Park, Won Choon
()
|
|
|
|
(57) A process for separating one type of particle (e.g., ore particles) from a second
type of particle (e.g., gangue particles) comprising the steps of (1) conditioning
the particles to selectively mark one type of particle (i.e. either the ore particles
or the gangue particles), to the substantial exclusion of the other; (2) detecting
the marked particles; and (3) separating the detected marked particles from the substantially
unmarked particles is characterised by the use, as a conditioning agent, of a compound
having both a surface-selective functional group and a detectable moiety. In one embodiment,
the detectable moiety is fluorescent and detecting is performed under ultraviolet
radiation. The process is especially useful for separating higher grade limestone
from lower grade limestone and/or gangue or for separating oil shale or coal of high
heat value from lower heat content materials or for concentrating valuable minerals,
such as silver or copper ores.