Oil-in-water emulsion for cold rolling

An oil-in-water emulsion suitable for the cold rolling of light metals, which comprises from about 1 to about 5% by weight alkyl monocarboxylic acid ester capable of forming a reaction layer during the rolling deformation of said metals from about 0.5 to about 7% by weight polybutene, from about 0.5 to about 2% by weight polyethoxylated sorbitan oleate, from about 0.5 to about 2.5% by weight unsaturated long-chain alkyl monocarboxylic acid capable of inhibiting hydrogen evolution and from about 0.1 to about 2.5% by weight of hexamethylenetetramine in the oil phase, in deionized water.