Mining chemical collector compositions and processes for recovering metal from ore

A process for recovery of a metal from an ore, the process comprising:

• contacting an ore with a mining chemical collector composition, the mining chemical collector composition comprising:
• a first collector agent comprising one or more carboxylic acids, each of the one or more carboxylic acids represented by formula (I):
• wherein R1 of formula (I) is a C4-C24 hydrocarbyl, and M of formula (I) is hydrogen (H), Li, Na, K, Rb, or Cs;
• and
• a second collector agent comprising one or more mercaptans, each of the one or more mercaptans represented by formula (II):
• wherein R2 of formula (II) is a C4-C20 hydrocarbyl;
• and
• recovering a metal from the ore.

A mining chemical collector composition, comprising:

• a first collector agent comprising one or more carboxylic acids, each carboxylic acid represented by formula (I):
• wherein R1 of formula (I) is a C4-C24 hydrocarbyl, and M of formula (I) is hydrogen (H), Li, Na, K, Rb, or Cs;
• a second collector agent comprising one or more mercaptans, each mercaptan represented by formula (II):
• wherein R2 of formula (II) is a C4-C20 hydrocarbyl;
• and
• a third collector agent comprising a xanthate, a xanthic ester, a xanthogen formate, a dialkyl dithiophosphate, a phosphinate, a thionocarbamate, a hydrocarbon oil, or combinations thereof,
• the mining chemical collector composition is characterized as having one or more of the following flotation characteristics:
• a percent recovery of copper from ore that is greater than that of the mining chemical collector composition without the one or more carboxylic acids represented by formula (I) under the same flotation conditions;
• a percent recovery of molybdenum from ore that is greater than that of the mining chemical collector composition without the one or more carboxylic acids represented by formula (I) under the same flotation conditions;
• a percent recovery of iron from ore that is less than that of the mining chemical collector composition without the one or more carboxylic acids represented by formula (I) under the same flotation conditions;
• or
• combinations thereof.

A process for recovery of a metal from an ore, the process comprising:

• contacting an ore with a mining chemical collector composition, the mining chemical collector composition comprising:
• a first collector agent comprising one or more carboxylic acids, each of the one or more carboxylic acids represented by formula (I):
• wherein R1 of formula (I) is a C4-C24 hydrocarbyl, and M of formula (I) is hydrogen (H), Li, Na, K, Rb, or Cs;
• a second collector agent comprising one or more mercaptans, each of the one or more mercaptans represented by formula (II):
• wherein R2 of formula (II) is a C4-C20 hydrocarbyl;
• and
• a third collector agent comprising a xanthate, a xanthic ester, a xanthogen formate, a dialkyl dithiophosphate, a phosphinate, a thionocarbamate, a hydrocarbon oil, or combinations thereof,
• the mining chemical collector composition is characterized as having one or more of the following flotation characteristics:
• a percent recovery of copper from ore that is greater than that of the mining chemical collector composition without the one or more carboxylic acids represented by formula (I) under the same flotation conditions;
• a percent recovery of molybdenum from ore that is greater than that of the mining chemical collector composition without the one or more carboxylic acids represented by formula (I) under the same flotation conditions;
• a percent recovery of iron from ore that is less than that of the mining chemical collector composition without the one or more carboxylic acids represented by formula (I) under the same flotation conditions;
• or
• combinations thereof;
• and
• recovering a metal from the ore.