Process for the separation of non-sulfidic minerals and ores from unwanted constituents of crude mineral and ore

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.

What is claimed is: 
     
       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. 
 
     
     
       2. The process of  claim 1 , wherein said polymeric esterquats are derived from said alkanolamines represented by formula (I), 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       in which R 1  represents a hydroxyethyl group, and R 2  and R 3  independently represent hydrogen, methyl or hydroxyethyl. 
     
     
       3. The process of  claim 1 , wherein said alkanolamine comprises triethanolamine. 
     
     
       4. The process of  claim 1 , wherein said polymeric esterquats are derived from mixtures of
 (i) Monocarboxylic acids according to general formula (II),
   R 4 CO—OH  (II)
 
 
 
       in which [X] R 4 CO 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. 
     
     
       5. 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. 
     
     
       6. The process of  claim 1 , characterised in that wherein said polymeric esterquats are based on mixtures of C12-C22 fatty acids and adipic acid. 
     
     
       7. The process of  claim 1 , further comprising quatenised quaternised N,N-dialkylaminoalkylamides as co-collectors. 
     
     
       8. The process of  claim 7 , wherein said collectors and said co-collectors are used in a weight ratio of 10:90 to 90:10. 
     
     
       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. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , wherein calcite minerals are subjected to said froth flotation. 
     
     
       11. 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. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the ratio is 1:1.4 to 1:1.8. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising alkoxylation prior to quaternization. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 9 , further comprising alkoxylation prior to quaternization. 
     
     
       15. 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. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the monocarboxylic acid comprises oleic acid. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the monocarboxylic acid comprises oleic acid and the dicarboxylic acid comprises adipic acid. 
     
     
       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.