Heavy Liquids for the Separation of Minerals Their Preparation, Properties, and Uses

This monograph describes the main physical and chemical properties of heavy organic liquids (e.g., bromoform, tetrabromoethane, diiodomethane), dense aqueous solutions of inorganic salts (e.g., halides, sulfates, nitrates, perchlorates, formates, molybdates, tungstates, tantalates, polyoxometalates, metatungstates, polytungstates, heteropolytungstates, perrhenates, etc.) and heavy suspensions used in mineralogy, metallurgy, and chemistry for the separation by gravity of minerals, metallic ores, graphite, coal macerals, fossils, diamonds and gemstones along with plastics, glass, ceramics and other synthetic materials. Moreover dense solutions of cesium and rubidium salts used in biology for the separation of nucleic acids, and other biological molecules of interest by centrifugation using density gradients are also described.

For several heavy liquids, it provides a detailed description of the laboratory methods, and industrial processes utilized for their preparation along with the most efficient recovery and recycling techniques. Moreover, when available the occupational health and safety information for toxic and hazardous chemicals used as heavy liquids is also provided to ensure safe practices in the work place.

Finally, their potential utilization in others fields such as X-ray and radiography contrast agents, radiation shielding agents, non-destructive testing, "water-in-salt" electrolytes used in energy storage applications, oil drilling fluids, ballasts and counterweights due to their high density are described.

The information has been presented in such a form that mineralogists, chemists, geologists, paleontologists, biologists, metallurgists, mineral processing engineers, scientists, professors, and technologists will have access to relevant scientific and technical information supported by key data gathered from several disseminated sources.

The following topics are covered:

• Dense media separation of minerals and ores by the sink-float method;
• Separation by elutriation, centrifugation and density gradients;
• Heavy halogenated organic solvents;
• Dense aqueous solutions of inorganic salts;
• Dense salts in non-aqueous solvents;
• Dense molten salts and eutectics;
• Deuterated solvents and solutions;
• Suspensions of heavy solids;
• Liquid metals and low melting point alloys;
• Non-conventional heavy liquids;
• Other uses;
• Appendices;
• Bibliography.