Process to treat metal or mineral ores and collector composition therefor

Collector composition comprising:

• a component (a) comprising 1 wt % to 99 wt % of a nitrile group-containing compound of the formula (I)
• wherein R is a saturated or unsaturated, linear or branched, hydrocarbon group containing 8 to 26 carbon atoms,
• R″ is a saturated or unsaturated, linear or branched, hydrocarbon group containing 1 to 26 carbon atoms or a hydrogen atom or (-(D)j-CnH2nCN) group or R-((A)m-(B))x group,
• A is (—O—CH2CH2—);
• (—O—CH(CH3)CH2—) or (—O—CH(CH2CH3)CH2—),
• B is (—O—CpH2p—),
• D is (—CH2CH2—O—);
• (—CH(CH3)CH2—O—) or (—CH(CH2CH3)CH2—O—),
• x is 0 or 1,
• R′″ is a hydrocarbon group containing 1 to 4 carbon atoms,
• Y is halide or methylsulfate,
• m and j are each independently an integer of from 0 to 5,
• R″″ is a saturated or unsaturated, linear or branched, hydrocarbon group containing 1 to 26 carbon atoms, and
• n and p are each independently an integer of 1 to 5;
• and
• a component (b) comprising 1 to 99 wt % of at least one of a collector selected from the group of nitrile, xanthate, dithiophosphate, thionocarbamate, thiocarbamate, mercaptobenzylthiazole, monothiophosphate and dithiophosphinates and hydroximate collectors, or a frother selected from the group of phenols, alkyl sulfates, aliphatic alcohols, C5-C8, cyclic alcohols, alkoxyalkanes, polypropylene glycol ethers, polyglycol ethers, polyglycol glycerol ethers, pyridine base, natural oils, terpineol and cresols, mixed ethers, aldehydes and ketone co-products of oxo alcohol production, ethoxylated alcohols.

A pulp comprising crushed and ground copper or sulfidic ore and a collector composition comprising a nitrile group-containing compound of the formula (I)

• wherein R is a saturated or unsaturated, linear or branched, hydrocarbon group containing 8 to 26 carbon atoms,
• R″ is a saturated or unsaturated, linear or branched, hydrocarbon group containing 1 to 26 carbon atoms or a hydrogen atom or (-(D)j-CnH2nCN) group or R-((A)m-(B))x group,
• A is (—O—CH2CH2—);
• (—O—CH(CH3)CH2—) or (—O—CH(CH2CH3)CH2—),
• B is (—O—CpH2p—),
• D is (—CH2CH2—O—);
• (—CH(CH3)CH2—O—) or (—CH(CH2CH3)CH2—O—),
• x is 0 or 1,
• R′″ is a hydrocarbon group containing 1 to 4 carbon atoms,
• Y is halide or methylsulfate,
• m, j are each independently an integer of from 0 to 5,
• R″″ is a saturated or unsaturated, linear or branched, hydrocarbon group containing 1 to 26 carbon atoms, and
• n and p are each independently an integer of from 1 to 5.