# US RE46,235 E1 · Process for the separation of non-sulfidic minerals and ores from unwanted constituents of crude mineral and ore

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- Number: US RE46,235 E1
- Document ID: USRE46235E1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: E1
- Application number: 14/790,635
- Filed: 2015-07-02
- Granted: 2016-12-13
- Earliest claimed: 2007-01-26
- Assignees: Cognis IP Management CMBH
- Applicants: Cognis IP Management GmbH
- Inventors: Joaquin Bigorra Llosas; Dietger Koppl; Simone Hoffmann-Doerr; Klaus Hinrichs
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/USRE46235E1

## CPC

- B03D 1/01: containing nitrogen
- B03D 1/016: Macromolecular compounds
- B03D 1/02: Froth-flotation processes
- B03D: FLOTATION; DIFFERENTIAL SEDIMENTATION (sedimentation in general B01D21/00; in combination with other separation of solids B03B; sink-float separation B03B5/28; detergents, soaps C11D)

## Abstract

A process for the flotation of non-sulfidic minerals or ores, is disclosed in which crushed crude minerals or ores are mixed with water and a collector to form a suspension, air is introduced into the suspension in the presence of a reagent system, and a floated foam containing the non-sulfidic mineral or ores is formed therein along with a flotation residue comprising the gangue polymeric esterquats as the collector polymeric esterquats. The polymeric esterquats are obtained by reacting alkanolamines with a mixture of monocarboxylic acids and dicarboxylic acids and quaternizing the resulting esters, optionally after alkoxylation.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A process for the flotation separation of non-sulfidic minerals or ore from unwanted constituents of crude mineral or ore, the process comprising:
(a) mixing the crushed crude minerals or ores with water and a collector to form a suspension, and
(b) introducing air into said suspension in the presence of a reagent system to form a floated foam containing said non-sulfidic minerals or ores along with a flotation residue comprising the gangue,
wherein said collector comprises polymeric esterquats, which are obtained by reacting alkanolamines with a mixture of monocarboxylic acids and dicarboxylic acids in a molar ratio of 1:10 to 10:1, and quaternising the resulting esters, optionally after alkoxylation.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein said polymeric esterquats are derived from said alkanolamines represented by formula (I),
in which R1 represents a hydroxyethyl group, and R2 and R3 independently represent hydrogen, methyl or hydroxyethyl.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein said alkanolamine comprises triethanolamine.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein said polymeric esterquats are derived from mixtures of
(i) Monocarboxylic acids according to general formula (II),
R4CO—OH (II)
in which [X] R4CO represents a linear or branched acyl moiety having 6 to 22 carbon atoms and 0 or 1 to 3 double bonds, and
(ii) Dicarboxylic acids according to general formula (III),
HOOC—[X]—COOH (III)
in which [X] represents an optionally hydroxysubstituted alk(en)ylene group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the alkanolamines and mixture of monocarboxylic and dicarboxylic acids are present in a ratio of 1 to 1.2.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, characterised in that wherein said polymeric esterquats are based on mixtures of C12-C22 fatty acids and adipic acid.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, further comprising quatenised quaternised N,N-dialkylaminoalkylamides as co-collectors.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The process of claim 7, wherein said collectors and said co-collectors are used in a weight ratio of 10:90 to 90:10.

### Claim 9

A method of froth flotation of non-sulfidic minerals or ores comprising adding the polymeric esterquats, which are obtained by reacting alkanolamines with a mixture of monocarboxylic acids and dicarboxylic acids in a molar ratio of 1:10 to 10:1, and quaternising the resulting esters, optionally after alkoxylation, as collectors.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein calcite minerals are subjected to said froth flotation.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the alkanolamines and mixture of monocarboxylic and dicarboxylic acids are present in a ratio of 1:1.3 to about 1:2.4.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the ratio is 1:1.4 to 1:1.8.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising alkoxylation prior to quaternization.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, further comprising alkoxylation prior to quaternization.

### Claim 15 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the alkanolamines and mixture of monocarboxylic and dicarboxylic acids are present in a ratio of 1 to 1.2.

### Claim 16 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the monocarboxylic acid comprises oleic acid.

### Claim 17 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the monocarboxylic acid comprises oleic acid and the dicarboxylic acid comprises adipic acid.

### Claim 18

A method of separating non-sulfidic minerals or ores from gangue comprising adding polymeric esterquats, which are obtained by reacting alkanolamines with a mixture of monocarboxylic acids and dicarboxylic acids in a molar ratio of 1:10 to 10:1, and quaternising the resulting esters, optionally after alkoxylation, as collectors.