Use of branched alcohols and alkoxylates thereof as secondary collectors
View Patent ↗The present invention relates to the use of branched fatty alcohol-based compounds selected from the group of fatty alcohols with 12-16 carbon atoms having a degree of branching of 1-3, and their alkoxylates with a degree of ethoxylation of up to 3, as secondary collectors for the froth flotation of non-sulfidic ores, in combination with a primary collector selected from the group of amphoteric and anionic surface active compounds.
1. A collector composition comprising:
a surface-active primary collector selected from the group consisting of fatty acids; sulfonates; alkyl phosphates; alkyl sulfates; compounds of the formula (II)
wherein R 1 is a hydrocarbyl group having 8-22 carbon atoms, A is an alkyleneoxy group having 2-4 carbon atoms, p is a number 0 or 1, q is a number from 0 to 5, R 2 is a hydrocarbyl group having 1-4 carbon atoms or is the group
wherein R 1 , A, p and q have the same meaning as above, Y − is selected from the group consisting of COO − and SO 3 − , n is a number 1 or 2, M is a cation, which may be monovalent or divalent, and inorganic or organic, and r is a number 1 or 2 or where the compound (II) is in its acidic protonated form without an external cation (M r+ ) 1/r;
compounds of formula (III)
wherein R 2 is a hydrocarbyl group with 8-22 carbon atoms, D is —CH 2 — or —CH 2 CH 2 —, k is a number from 0 to 4, and M is hydrogen or a cation, such as sodium or potassium;
and compounds of formula (IV)
wherein R is a hydrocarbyl group having from 7-23 carbon atoms, optionally substituted, R 1 is H or CH 3 , R 2 is H or a C1-C4 alkyl group, R 3 is H or CH 3 , n is a number from 1 to 20; p is a number from 1 to 3, X is H + or an organic or inorganic cation and m represents the valency of the cation and is a number from 1 to 2; and mixtures thereof; and
a secondary collector that is selected from the group of branched fatty alcohol alkoxylates having 12-16 carbon atoms, a degree of branching of 1-3, and a degree of ethoxylation of up to 3 of the formula (I)
R—O-(EO) y H (I)
wherein R is an alkyl or alkenyl group having 12-16 carbon atoms, and wherein said alkyl or alkenyl group has a degree of branching of 1-3, EO is an ethyleneoxy unit, and y is a number from 0 to 3; wherein the weight ratio between the primary collector and the secondary collector is between 15:85 and 99:1.
2. The collector composition according to claim 1 wherein the secondary collector has a degree of branching of 2 to 3.
3. The collector composition according to claim 1 wherein the surface-active primary collector has the formula (III)
wherein R 2 is a hydrocarbyl group with 8-22 carbon atoms, D is —CH 2 — or —CH 2 CH 2 —, k is a number from 0 to 4, and M is hydrogen or a cation, such as sodium or potassium.
4. The collector composition according to claim 1 wherein the surface-active primary collector has the formula (IV)
wherein R is a hydrocarbyl group having from 7-23 carbon atoms, optionally substituted, R 1 is H or CH 3 , R 2 is H or a C1-C4 alkyl group, R 3 is H or CH 3 , n is a number from 1 to 20; p is a number from 1 to 3, X is H + or an organic or inorganic cation and m represents the valency of the cation and is a number from 1 to 2; and mixtures thereof.
5. The collector composition according to claim 1 wherein the weight ratio between the primary collector and the secondary collector is between 25:75 and 97:3.
6. The collector composition according to claim 5 wherein the weight ratio between the primary collector and the secondary collector is between about 3:1 and about 2:1.
7. A method of froth flotation of non-sulfidic ores, comprising the steps of:
a) conditioning a pulped phosphate-containing ore, wherein the ore comprises a phosphate-containing mineral, and gangue minerals, with an effective amount of the collector composition of claim 1 , and
b) performing a froth flotation process to recover phosphate-containing minerals.