Froth flotation method

A method of recovering metal-containing sulfide minerals, sulfidized metal-containing oxide minerals, precious metal containing minerals, nickel-bearing oxide minerals or copper-bearing oxide minerals 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 sulfide mineral, sulfidized metal-containing oxide mineral, precious metal containing mineral, nickel-bearing oxide mineral or copper-bearing oxide mineral is 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
• wherein --(R).sub.n -- is ##STR8## each R' and R" is independently hydrogen, methyl or ethyl;
• p+m=n;
• n is an integer from 1 to 6;
• m is independently 0 or 1, and p is an integer from 1 to 6 and each ##STR9## moiety of the --(R).sub.n -- group can occur in random sequence;
• R.sup.1 is a C.sub.1-22 hydrocarbyl or a C.sub.1-22 substituted hydrocarbyl;
• one R.sup.2 is hydrogen or a C.sub.1-22 hydrocarbyl and one R.sup.2 is hydrogen, C.sub.1-22 hydrocarbyl or a C.sub.1-22 substituted hydrocarbyl;
• --X-- is N(R.sup.3)-- or ##STR10## R.sup.3 is H or a C.sub.1-22 hydrocarbyl or a C.sub.1-22 substituted hydrocarbyl and recovering said mineral or minerals from said froth.