# US 10,478,829 B2 · Collector compositions and methods of using same in mineral flotation processes > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,478,829 B2 - Document ID: US10478829B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/358,626 - Filed: 2016-11-22 - Published: 2017-05-25 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2015-11-25 - Assignees: Cytec Industries Inc. - Applicants: Cytec Industries Inc. - Inventors: Tarun Bhambhani; Jason Freeman; Devarayasamudram R. Nagaraj - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10478829B2 ## CPC - B03D 1/008: containing oxygen - B03D 1/01: containing nitrogen - B03D 1/012: containing sulfur - C22B 3/00: Extraction of metal compounds from ores or concentrates by wet processes - C22B 15/0063: {Hydrometallurgy} - B03D 2201/02: Collectors - B03D: FLOTATION; DIFFERENTIAL SEDIMENTATION (sedimentation in general B01D21/00; in combination with other separation of solids B03B; sink-float separation B03B5/28; detergents, soaps C11D) - C22B: PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS (electrolytic C25); PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS ## Abstract Collector compositions C for mineral flotation, which include at least one of a hydroxamic acid A, and/or a salt S of a hydroxamic acid A solubilized in a water-soluble organic solvent L, and processes for using same for recovering sulfide and/or oxide minerals in mineral flotation processes are provided herewith. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A mineral flotation collector composition “C” comprising a water-soluble organic solvent “L” selected from the group consisting of alkylene glycols, benzyl alcohol, polyhydric aliphatic alcohols having two or more hydroxyl groups per molecule, aliphatic sulfoxides, aliphatic sulfones, glycol ethers, aliphatic and aromatic amines, aliphatic and cycloaliphatic amides, cycloaliphatic esters, aliphatic hydroxyesters; and mixtures thereof; and at least one of a hydroxamic acid “A”, or a salt “S” of a hydroxamic acid A, dissolved in the solvent L, wherein a solvent is considered water-soluble if it forms single-phase mixtures with water for compositions ranging from a mass fraction of solvent L in the mixture with water of from 0.04 up to 1 in a temperature range of from 15° C. to 80° C. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The collector composition C of claim 1, wherein the alkylene glycol or polyhydric aliphatic alcohol having two or more hydroxyl groups per molecule is selected from the group consisting of ethylene glycol; 1,2-propanediol; 1,3-propanediol; 1,2-butanediol; 1,3-butanediol; 1,4-butanediol; 2,3-butanediol; 1,2-pentanediol; 1,5-pentanediol; glycerol; and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The collector composition C of claim 1, wherein the glycol ether is selected from the group consisting of phenoxyethanol; propylene glycol n-propyl ether; propylene glycol n-butyl ether; 2-butoxyethanol; dipropylene glycol dimethyl ether; 2-ethoxy ethanol; 2-methoxy ethanol; and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The collector composition C of claim 1, wherein the solvent L is selected from the group consisting of dimethyl sulfoxide; N-methylpyrrolidone; pyridine; 1-(2-hydroxyethyl)-2-pyrrolidone; cyclohexanone; and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The collector composition C of claim 1, wherein the solvent L comprises a mixture of any two or more solvents selected from the group consisting of 1,2-propanediol; 1,2-butanediol; 2,3-butanediol; glycerol; benzyl alcohol; propylene glycol n-propyl ether; phenoxyethanol; dimethylsulfoxide; hydroxyethyl pyrrolidone; and N-methyl pyrrolidone. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The collector composition C of claim 1, wherein the mass fraction of solvent L is greater than 5%. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The collector composition C of claim 6, wherein the mass fraction of solvent L is from 10% to 90%. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The collector composition C of claim 1, wherein the hydroxamic acid A comprises a fatty hydroxamic acid “Af”. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The collector composition C of claim 8, wherein the fatty hydroxamic acid Af comprises from six to twenty-two carbon atoms in the fatty acid. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The collector composition C of claim 9, wherein the composition comprises a mixture of fatty hydroxamic acids Af having from eight to twelve carbon atoms. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The collector composition C of claim 1, wherein the salt S comprises one or more of an alkali salt, an earth alkali salt, or an ammonium salt. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The collector composition C of claim 11, wherein the salt S comprises one or more of a salt of lithium, sodium, or potassium. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The collector composition C of claim 1, wherein a hydroxamic acid A and a salt S of a hydroxamic acid A are both present in the composition C. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The collector composition C of claim 13, wherein a hydroxamic acid A and a salt S of the same hydroxamic acid A are both present in the composition C. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The collector composition C of claim 1, wherein the sum of mass fractions of at least one of a hydroxamic acid A and/or at least one of a salt S of a hydroxamic acid present in the composition C is from 5% to 80%. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The collector composition C of claim 15, wherein the sum of mass fractions of at least one of a hydroxamic acid A and/or at least one of a salt S of a hydroxamic acid present in the composition C is from 14% to 50%. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The collector composition C of claim 16, wherein the sum of mass fractions of at least one of a hydroxamic acid A and/or at least one of a salt S of a hydroxamic acid present in the composition C is from 17% to 45%. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The collector composition C of claim 1 further comprising a mass fraction of water of less than 5%. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) A method of recovering an oxide and/or sulfide mineral in a mineral flotation process, said method comprising the steps of a) mixing a ground ore comprising an oxide and/or sulfide mineral with a mineral flotation collector composition “C” as defined by claim 1, and an effective amount of water in which to form a slurry; b) subjecting the slurry to a mineral flotation process; and c) separating the mineral values from the surface of the slurry to obtain an oxide and/or sulfide mineral concentrate. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method according to claim 19, wherein a modifier “M” is additionally present in the slurry and/or the collector composition C. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20 wherein the modifier M is selected from the group consisting of sodium silicate; meta-silicate, sodium phosphate, polyphosphate, carboxymethyl cellulose, guar gum, starch, tannin, lignin sulfonate, polymers containing acid groups or acid anion groups; and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein said acid or acid anion groups is chosen from one or more of carboxyl, sulfonate, or phosphonate groups. ### Claim 23 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein a dosage range of the collector composition C is from 10 g/ton to 2000 g/ton. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein the dosage range of the collector composition C is from 50 g/ton to 1000 g/ton. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, wherein the dosage range of the collector composition C is from 100 g/ton to 500 g/ton. ### Claim 26 A mineral flotation collector composition “C” comprising at least one hydroxamic acid “A”, and/or a salt “S” of a hydroxamic acid A, in a total mass fraction from 5% to 80%, and a water-soluble organic solvent “L” selected from the group consisting of 1,2-propanediol; 1,2-butanediol; 2,3-butanediol; glycerol; benzyl alcohol; propylene glycol n-propyl ether; phenoxyethanol; dimethylsulfoxide; hydroxyethyl pyrrolidone; and N-methyl pyrrolidone; and mixtures thereof in a mass fraction from 10% to 90%, wherein a solvent is considered water-soluble if it forms single-phase mixtures with water for compositions ranging from a mass fraction of solvent L in the mixture with water of from 0.04 up to 1 in a temperature range of from 15° C. to 80° C. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The collector composition C of claim 26, wherein the hydroxamic acid A includes a mixture of alkyl hydroxamic acids having from six to twelve carbon atoms, and is present in a total mass fraction of 17% to 45%, and wherein the solvent L includes a mixture of propylene glycol and 1,2-butylene glycol in a total mass fraction of greater than 20%. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The collector composition C of claim 27, wherein the collector composition C is essentially free of water and essentially free of surfactants.