Froth flotation method

A method of recovering metal-containing mineral values from a metal ore which comprises subjecting the metal ore, in the form of an aqueous pulp, to a froth flotation process in the presence of a flotating amount of a flotation collector under conditions such that the metal-containing mineral values are recovered in the froth, wherein the collector comprises a compound corresponding to the formula:

• R.sup.1 --X--(R).sub.n --N--(R.sup.2).sub.2 or (Ia)
• R.sup.1 --X--(R).sub.n --N.dbd.Y (Ib)
• wherein --(R).sub.n -- is ##STR9## each R' and R" is independently hydrogen, methyl or ethyl;
• p+m.dbd.n;
• n is an integer from 1 to 6;
• m is 0 or 1 and p is an integer from 1 to 6 and each moiety can occur in random sequence;
• R.sup.1 is a C.sub.1-22 hydrocarbyl or a C.sub.1-22 hydrocarbyl substituted with one or more hydroxy, amino, phosponyl, alkoxy, imino, carbamyl, carbonyl, cyano, carboxyl, hydrocarbylthio, hydrocarbyloxy, hydrocarbylamino or hydrocarbylimino groups;
• each R.sup.2 is independently hydrogen, a C.sub.1-22 hydrocarbyl or a C.sub.1-22 hydrocarbyl substituted with one or more hydroxy, amino, phosphonyl, alkoxy, imino, carbamyl, carbonyl, cyano, carboxyl, hydrocarbylthio, hydrocarbyloxy, hydrocarbylamino or hydrocarbylimino groups;
• --X-- is --S--.dbd.Y is .dbd.C.dbd.S;
• and recovering said metal-containing mineral values from said froth.