Mixed decyl mercaptans compositions and use thereof as mining chemical collectors

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a process for the recovery of a metal from an ore using a collector composition. The process includes contacting the ore with the collector composition. The collector composition can include sulfur-containing compounds comprising (i) mercaptans comprising branched C10 mercaptans compounds selected from the group consisting of 5-methyl-1-mercapto-nonane, 3-propyl-1-mercapto-heptane, 4-ethyl-1-mercapto-octane, 2-butyl-1-mercapto-hexane, 5-methyl-2-mercapto-nonane, 3-propyl-2-mercapto-heptane, 4-ethyl-2-mercapto-octane, 5-methyl-5-mercapto-nonane, and combinations thereof; and (ii) sulfides comprising branched C20 sulfides represented by the structure R1—S—R2, wherein R1 and R2 are each independently a functional group derived from an olefin, wherein the olefin comprises 5-methyl-1-nonene, 3-propyl-1-heptene, 4-ethyl-1-octene, 2-butyl-1-hexene, or combinations thereof.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.