US PATENT SUBCLASS 75 / 746
.~ Consolidating metalliferous material (e.g., ore, tailings, flue dust, fluxes, etc.) by agglomerating, compacting, or heat treating; preparatory process therefor; or treating consolidated material therefrom

Current as of: June, 1999
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75 /   HD   SPECIALIZED METALLURGICAL PROCESSES, COMPOSITIONS FOR USE THEREIN, CONSOLIDATED METAL POWDER COMPOSITIONS, AND LOOSE METAL PARTICULATE MIXTURES

330  DF  PROCESSES {9}
746.~ Consolidating metalliferous material (e.g., ore, tailings, flue dust, fluxes, etc.) by agglomerating, compacting, or heat treating; preparatory process therefor; or treating consolidated material therefrom {5}
747  DF  .~.~> Noble metal containing metalliferous material
748  DF  .~.~> With vaporization of impurity as metal halide
749  DF  .~.~> With physical separation or classification of solids {1}
751  DF  .~.~> With heat treatment (e.g., calcinating, fusing, indurating, roasting, sintering, vaporizing, etc.) {8}
770  DF  .~.~> Agglomerating or compacting {3}

DEFINITION

Classification: 75/746

Consolidating metalliferous material (e.g., ore, tailings, flue dust, fluxes, etc.) by agglomerating, compacting, or heat treating; preparatory process therefor; or treating consolidated material therefrom:

(under subclass 330) Process for consolidating a metalliferous material (e.g., ore, tailings, flue dust, fluxes, etc.) to concentrate a desired metalliferous component or to perfect the metalliferous material for a metallurgical operation by compacting, agglomerating, or heat treatment; preparatory process therefor; or treatment of consolidated metalliferous material prepared thereby - wherein (1) there is no chemical production of free metal that remains in the product and (2) the product is amenable to a Class 75 or Class 420 refining or alloying operation.

(1) Note. Consolidating of metalliferous material which is an ore may involve beneficiation. Beneficiation processes not involving consolidation of metalliferous materials will be found in other classes indicated in the following search notes if no free metal is in the product or elsewhere in this class if free metal is produced and present in the product.

(2) Note. These subclasses 746+ will be considered the residual location taking combination of processes involving such consolidation and other process classes even when further Class 75 or 420 metallurgical operation is not expressed in the specification.

(3) Note. If the product of the process contains a free metal chemically produced by the process, classification goes to the above process subclasses even if consolidation is involved or even if only small amounts of free metal are produced that remain in the final product.

(4) Note. However, if undesirable materials are removed as free metal during the aforedescribed consolidation process, classification remains in this section of Class 75.

(5) Note. If consolidation of the type hereinabove set forth without free metal production takes place at any stage of the process, classification remains in this section of Class 75 even if the final product is not a consolidated product. However, the final product must be in intermediate form amenable to Class 75 or 420 refining or alloying.

SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS: 303+, for charge or solid treating compositions for treating molten metal and particularly subclasses 310, 311 and 313+ for consolidated compositions.

SEE OR SEARCH CLASS

23, Chemistry: Physical Processes,

313, for agglomerating finely divided nonmetallic elements or

inorganic compounds by treatments which cause coalescence of the particles and which involve only physical processes not specifically provided for in some other class.

34, Drying and Gas or Vapor Contact With Solids, for processes of drying ore or metalliferous material. However, if consolidation of the type hereinabove set forth is combined with drying and gas or vapor contact with solids, proper classification goes to Class 75.

65, Glass Manufacturing, for processes of making glass by fusing metalliferous materials.

106, Compositions: Coatings or Plastics, for processes of preparing molding, hydrosetting, filler, aggregate or pigment compositions containing metalliferous materials.

134, Cleaning and Liquid Contact With Solids, for cleaning and liquid contact of metalliferous materials, per se. However, cleaning or liquid contact involving consolidated metalliferous material as hereinabove set forth is proper for Class 75 if a chemical step is involved.

201, Distillation: Processes, Thermolytic, for thermolytic processes, not elsewhere provided, for treating carbonaceous material to produce coke or when it is uncertain that the process involves consolidation or treating of a consolidated metalliferous material as hereinabove set forth. If coking of a consolidated metalliferous composition is involved, it goes to this section of Class 75, unless it can be determined that free metal is produced.

205, Electrolysis: Processes, Compositions Used Therein, and Methods of Preparing the Compositions, for electrolytic processes of treating metalliferous material. Combinations of electrolysis and consolidation as hereinabove described are placed as original in Class 75 and crossed to Class 205.

209, Classifying, Separating, and Assorting Solids, for concentration processes which involve the separation of ore or metalliferous materials by nonchemical means (e.g., flotation, screening, amalgamation). However, if consolidation of the type set forth hereinabove is combined with the classifying, separating and assorting of solids, proper classification goes to Class 75. 210, Liquid Purification or Separation, for processes of separating a component from a liquid. If consolidation of metalliferous material of the type hereinabove set forth is involved at any stage of the process, proper classification goes to Class 75 even if liquid purification is involved and a cross-reference is placed in Class 210.

241, Solid Material Comminution or Disintegration, for processes of disintegrating ore or metalliferous material for the purpose of reducing particle size. Particularly see

3+, in Class 241. Combination of comminution or disintegration and Class 209 separation go to Class 241. Combination of comminution or disintegration with consolidation as hereinabove set forth go to Class 75 whether or not Class 209 separation is involved unless an intended use divergent from a Class 75 or 420 refining or alloying operation is expressed.

252, Compositions, for processes, not elsewhere provided, of making magnetic or chemical treating compositions containing metalliferous materials.

264, Plastic and Nonmetallic Article Shaping or Treating: Processes, particularly

109+, for uniting of bulk assembly particulate materials and for methods of compacting and briquetting nonmetallic particles intended for uses other than Class 75 or Class 420 refining or alloying. However, processes preparing consolidated metalliferous charges or metalliferous treating agents amenable to Class 75 or Class 420 refining or alloying operation go as original to this section of Class 75.

419, Powder Metallurgy Processes, for producing metals, alloys or metal containing compositions in a solid or compact state from powdered or particulate material with or without heating. If a consolidated metalliferous composition is intended for Class 75 or 420 refining or alloying operation, proper classification of the process of consolidation goes to Class 75. The consolidation of free metal containing flue dust or inclusion of a free metal reactant (i.e., powdered aluminum) in a compacted metalliferous product intended for Class 75 or 420 refining or alloying goes to this section of Class 75. Here the line is strictly one of intent.

423, Chemistry of Inorganic Compounds, for chemical processes of beneficiating ore or metalliferous material that provide intermediate products even if intended for a Class 75 or Class 420 operation. However, if the chemical process includes a step of consolidation of the type hereinbefore set forth, classification goes to Class 75.

(1) Note. Patents including claims classifiable in Class 423 and equally comprehensive claims classifiable in Class 75 are classified in Class 75 and cross-referenced to Class 423.

(2) Note. If a free metal is produced, classification goes to Class 75 or if an alloy is produced to Class 420 even when chemical steps are involved. If the free metal produced by the chemical process ends up in the product as a free metal, proper classification is in the above free metal section of Class 75 and not in this consolidation section of Class 75.

(3) Note. Processes of roasting or treating iron oxide ores to change oxidation state without free metal production go to Class 423. However, if consolidation is also involved as set forth hereinabove, classification goes to this section of Class 75.

(4) Note. Hydrometallurgical processes not producing free metal go to Class 423. However, if consolidation of the type hereinabove set forth is involved, proper classification goes to Class 75.

(5) Note. Processes of removing an impurity from an ore (e.g., roasting, desulfurizing, dephosphorizing, or dearsenizing, etc.) are classified in Class 423, subclasses 1+ based upon the metal values recovered. If no particular resulting metal value is disclosed classification is in Class 423 subclass 1. However, if consolidation as hereinbefore set forth is involved, classification is in Class 75.

427, Coating Processes, for processes of coating ore or metalliferous material. However, if consolidation of the type hereinabove set forth is present, classification goes to Class 75, even if a coated product is produced.

501, Compositions: Ceramic, for processes of producing ceramic, glass, or refractory compositions that contain fused or sintered metalliferous materials.

502, Catalyst, Solid Sorbent, or Support Therefor: Product or Process of Making, for processes of producing metalliferous products intended for use as a catalyst or sorbent. If the consolidated metalliferous material as hereinabove set forth is intended for use as a catalyst or sorbent, the original goes to Class 502.

507, Earth Boring, Well Treating, and Oil Field Chemistry, for well treating compositions containing metalliferous materials.