A process for recovering valuable amounts of meta-les from a metal mena

摘要

A collector and process for recovering metal values from a metal ore by subjecting the metal ore, in the form of an aqueous pulp, to a froth flotation process in the presence of a collector wherein the collector comprises a compound corresponding to the formula CHEM and n is an integer from 1 to 6 or &lparstr& R &rparstr& n is &lparstr& CH2 &rparstr& mC IDENTICAL where m is an integer from 0 to 6; R1 and each R2 are independently C1-22 hydrocarbyl or a C1-22 hydrocarbyl substituted with one or more hydroxy, amino, phosphonyl, alkoxy, imino, carbamyl, carbonyl, thiocarbonyl, cyano, carboxyl, hydrocarbylimino groups, with the proviso that R2 can be a divalent radical with both valencies bonded directly to the atom X is -S-, -O-, -N-R3, CHEM R3 is H or a C1-22 hydrocarbyl; a is an integer of 0, 1 or 2; b is an integer of 0, 1 or 2; with the priviso that the sum of a and b equals 2 except when R2 is a divalent radical with both valencies bonded directly to the N atom, in which case, b=1 and a=0 or when &lparstr& R &rparstr& is &lparstr& CH2 &rparstr& mC IDENTICAL in which case, a+b=0, and with the further proviso that when X is CHEM the carbonyl moiety is bonded to R1. y