Use of alkoxylated amines as collector agents for ore beneficiation

1. A method of beneficiating an ore, comprising contacting the ore with at least one compound represented by formula (1):

wherein:

R 2 is selected from the group consisting of

a direct bond,

a C 1 -C 20 , linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon chain optionally substituted by one or more —OH group(s), a substituted alkylene radical wherein the alkylene radical is substituted by 1 or 2 —OH groups, an alkenylene radical having from 1-20 carbon atoms, a substituted alkenylene radical, wherein the alkenylene radical is substituted by 1 or 2 methyl and/or methylene groups,

a cycloalkylene group,

a cycloalkenylene group, and

an arylene group;

R 4 is a hydrocarbyl group containing 8-24 carbon atoms or a group represented by the formula R 6 —O-(A′O) w -T-,

wherein:

R 6 is a hydrocarbyl group containing 8-24 carbon atoms,

w is an integer ranging from 0 to 20,

A′O is an alkyleneoxy group containing 2-4 carbon atoms, and

T is alkylene group containing 1-6 carbon atoms;

R 5 is a hydrocarbyl group or a benzyl group;

X is a leaving group selected from halogens, sulphates and carbonates;

AO is an alkyleneoxy group containing 2-4 carbon atoms;

n is an integer of from 1 to 20;

t is 0 or 1;

y is 0 or 1;

p ranges from 1 to 15;

G is a group represented by formula (III):

wherein:

B is an alkyl group containing 1-4 carbon atoms or a benzyl group,

s is 1, 2 or 3,

R 5 , X, and t are as defined above, and

wherein the group —(CH 2 ) s — is a spacer between the nitrogen atom in formula (III) and the nitrogen atom in formula (1) which is linked to formula (III).

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one compound represented by formula (1) is represented by formula (1A):

wherein AO, n, p, t, R 2 , R 4 , R 5 and X are as defined in claim 1 and y is 0.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein:

R 2 is an alkylene radical represented by the formula —(CH 2 ) z —, wherein z is an integer from 1 to 20; and

R 4 is a hydrocarbyl group having 8-24 carbon atoms.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

each t is 1; and

R 5 is a methyl or ethyl group.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

each n is, independently from one another, 1 to 6; and

p is 1 to 10.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ore is selected from the group consisting of calcium carbonates, magnesium carbonates, phosphates, iron ores, and mixtures thereof.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ore is selected from the group consisting of calcium carbonates, calcium carbonate-containing materials, and mixtures thereof.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ore is selected from the group consisting of wollastonite, barite, titanium oxides, kaolin, kaolinitic clays, calcined kaolinitic clays, montmorillonite, sepiolite, talc, diatomaceous earths, aluminium oxides, sulfates and sulfides, and mixtures thereof.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ore is selected from the group consisting of potassium chloride, metal-containing ores, and mixtures thereof, wherein the metal in the metal-containing ores is iron, platinum, aluminium, nickel, copper, or a mixture thereof.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the content at least one mineral present in in the ore is reduced, where the at least one mineral is selected from the group consisting of graphite, iron sulfides, iron oxides, iron hydroxides, iron oxyhydroxides, silica, silicates, mica, clays, potash, and mixtures thereof.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the content of the compound represented by formula (1) is from 10 ppm to 5000 ppm by weight relative to the amount of the ore.

12. The method of claim 1 , where beneficiating of the ore occurs by direct flotation.

13. The method of claim 1 , where beneficiating of the ore occurs by reverse flotation.

14. A flotation pulp, comprising water, ground ore containing impurities, and at least compound represented by formula (1):

wherein:

R 2 is selected from the group consisting of

a direct bond,

a C 1 -C 20 , linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon chain optionally substituted by one or more —OH group(s), a substituted alkylene radical wherein the alkylene radical is substituted by 1 or 2 —OH groups, an alkenylene radical having from 1-20 carbon atoms, a substituted alkenylene radical, wherein the alkenylene radical is substituted by 1 or 2 methyl and/or methylene groups,

a cycloalkylene group,

a cycloalkenylene group, and

an arylene group;

R 4 is a hydrocarbyl group containing 8-24 carbon atoms or a group represented by the formula R 6 —O-(A′O) w -T-,

wherein:

R 6 is a hydrocarbyl group containing 8-24 carbon atoms,

w is an integer ranging from 0 to 20,

A′O is an alkyleneoxy group containing 2-4 carbon atoms, and

T is alkylene group containing 1-6 carbon atoms;

R 5 is a hydrocarbyl group or a benzyl group;

X is a leaving group selected from halogens, sulphates and carbonates;

AO is an alkyleneoxy group containing 2-4 carbon atoms;

n is an integer of from 1 to 20;

t is 0 or 1;

y is 0 or 1;

p ranges from 1 to 15;

G is a group represented by formula (III):

wherein:

B is an alkyl group containing 1-4 carbon atoms or a benzyl group,

s is 1, 2 or 3,

R 5 , X, and t are as defined above, and

wherein the group —(CH 2 ) s — is a spacer between the nitrogen atom in formula (III) and the nitrogen atom in formula (1) which is linked to formula (III).

15. The flotation pulp of claim 14 , having at least one of the following characteristics:

a solid weight content of the pulp of from 5 wt % to 50 wt %, and

a content of the at least one compound represented by formula (1) of from 0.001 wt % to 0.5 wt % based on the solids weight content of the pulp.

16. Tailings comprising floated impurities and at least one compound represented by formula (1):

wherein:

R 2 is selected from the group consisting of

a direct bond,

a C 1 -C 20 , linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon chain optionally substituted by one or more —OH group(s), a substituted alkylene radical wherein the alkylene radical is substituted by 1 or 2 —OH groups, an alkenylene radical having from 1-20 carbon atoms, a substituted alkenylene radical, wherein the alkenylene radical is substituted by 1 or 2 methyl and/or methylene groups,

a cycloalkylene group,

a cycloalkenylene group, and

an arylene group;

R 4 is a hydrocarbyl group containing 8-24 carbon atoms or a group represented by the formula R 6 —O-(A′O) w -T-,

wherein:

R 6 is a hydrocarbyl group containing 8-24 carbon atoms,

w is an integer ranging from 0 to 20,

A′O is an alkyleneoxy group containing 2-4 carbon atoms, and

T is alkylene group containing 1-6 carbon atoms;

R 5 is a hydrocarbyl group or a benzyl group;

X is a leaving group selected from halogens, sulphates and carbonates;

AO is an alkyleneoxy group containing 2-4 carbon atoms;

n is an integer of from 1 to 20;

t is 0 or 1;

y is 0 or 1;

p ranges from 1 to 15;

G is a group represented by formula (III):

wherein:

B is an alkyl group containing 1-4 carbon atoms or a benzyl group,

s is 1, 2 or 3,

R 5 , X, and t are as defined above, and

wherein the group —(CH 2 ) s — is a spacer between the nitrogen atom in formula (III) and the nitrogen atom in formula (1) which it-is linked to formula (III).

17. The tailings of claim 16 , comprising, relative to the total weight of the tailings when dried, from 50 wt % to 99.995 wt % of floated impurities and from 0.005 wt % to 35 wt % of the at least one compound represented by formula (1).