AMINE OXIDE PROMOTERS FOR FROTH FLOTATION OF MINERAL ORES

Abstract: Froth flotation of sylvinite and other ores in the presence of amine collector is improved by the addition of an amine oxide promoter represented by (FORMULA) where R<u1>u is a linear or branched, substituted or unsubstituted, saturated or unsaturated monovalent aliphatic, alicyclic, alicyclic-aliphatic, or aliphatic-aromatic group which may contain linkages of ether, amine, or sulfide, and R<u1>u has an effective chain length of about 6 to 22 atoms, and R<u2>u and R<u3>u each, independently, is a C<u1>u-C<u4>u alkyl or alkanol group, or R<u2>uR<u3>u is a heterocyclic residue.

Description: AMINE OXIDE PROMOTERS FOR FROTH FLOTATION OF MINERAL ORES Background of the Invention The present invention relates to the froth flotation of mineral ores and more particularly to a unique amine oxide promoter useful in the froth flotation of potash and other mineral ores. It is common practice in froth flotation to utilize a chemical collector which is selectively adsorbed on the surface of the particles to be collected in order to enhance the concentration of such particles in one phase (usually the froth phase) while leaving remaining particles in the other phase (usually the aqueous phase). For example, in the flotation of sylvite (KCl) from sylvinite ores (potash ores) the chemical collectors which predominate in commercial practice are relatively long (greater than C 1 fi ) straight chain primary aliphatic (e.g. tallow) amines. Such amine collectors are selectively adsorbed on the surface of the sylvite particles which enhances the concentration of such sylvite particles in the froth phase during the flotation process. Coarse ore particles of greater than 20 mesh on up to about 6 mesh (Tyler standard sieves series) are difficult to float in the froth phase and usually a non- polar hydrocarbon oil must be used in combination with the amine collectors in order to even marginally float such coarse size ore particles. Still, recovery yields of below 50 percent by weight on the average is common in industrial froth flotation of such coarse size ore particles. Effective recovery of coarse size particles is difficult regardless of the composition of the particles and certainly is not restricted to the flotation of sylvinite ores. Broad Statement of the Invention The present invention is an improved aqueous amine blend useful as a collecter in a mineral froth flotation process wherein an amine collector enhances con¬ centration of the desired particles in the froth phase for their separation and collection. The improved aqueous amine blend is characterized by an aqueous cationic dispersion of said amine collector and an amine oxide promoter in a weight ratio of about 0.8:1 to 10:1. The amine oxide is represented by R 2 (I) — N — O 1 i R. OMΓI f ,„ V. IPO where, R, is a linear or branched, substituted or unsubstituted, saturated or unsaturated monovalent aliphatic, alicyclic, alieyclic-aliphatic, or aliphatic- aromatic group which may contain linkages of ether, amine, or sulfide, and R. has an effective chain length of about 6 to 22 atoms, and E, and , each, independently, is a C,-C 4 alkyl or alkanol group, or R„ 3 is a heterocyclic residue. Another aspect of the invention is an improved froth flotation process wherein solid preselected partieles not substantially larger than about 3.3 mm average particle size are selectively separated under froth flotation conditions in the froth phase from remaining feed material in the aqueous phase in the presence of an amine collector. The improvement in such process is characterized by the addition of an effective proportion of the amine oxide promoter described above. Advantages of the present invention include excelleet recovery yields of coarse size particles in the froth flotation process and improved flotation kinetics of the particles for increased throughput of particles in the process. Another advantage is the ability of the amine oxide promoter to suppress the negative effect of the extender oil in the froth flotation process by stabilizing the froth to an abundant, yet manageable, layer which permits the coarse size particles to buoy more easily. Further advantages include the amine oxide promoter's presence in the process lowering the total proportion of collector amine required per unit weight of particles fed to the process and the ability to use collector amines of shorter chain length than heretofore could have been used in froth flotation processes. Detailed Description of the Invention The present invention works effectively and efficiently with sylvinite ores for flotation of sylvite therefrom and will be described in detail in connection therewith, but such description should not be construed as a limitation of the invention. For example, the invention also works effectively and efficiently in the froth flotation of phosphate ores, titaniferous ores, glass sand and a variety of other mineral ores. Thus, the use of the amine oxide promoters of the present invention is limited only by the abilty of conventional amines to effectively enhance the froth flotation of the particles. Hence, the present invention should be construed broadly relative to suitable feeds for the flotation process. The unique aqueous amine blend of the present invention comprises an (aliphatic) amine collector and an amine oxide in aqueous dispersion. Referring to the amine oxide, the particular substituents attached to the nitrogen atom of the amine oxide do not appear to be particularly important in the effectiveness of the amine oxide as the promoter in mineral froth flotation processes. Perhaps, the real limitation on the substituents arises from synthesis of the amine oxide promoters in that certain substituents give rise to steric and electronic hindrance in the synthesis of the amine oxides. Still, a plethora of amine oxide promoters can be easily and efficiently synthesized and have been determined to be effective in promoting the froth flotation of mineral ores. The amine oxide promoters suitable for use in the present process can be represented conventionally by the following general structure I 2 (I) R f ■ N— O R. where, R, is a linear or branched, substituted or unsubstituted, saturated or unsaturated monovalent aliphatic, alicyclic, alicyclie-aliphatic, or aliphatic- aromatic group which may contain linkages of ether, amine, or sulfide, and R. has an effective chain length of about 6 to 22 atoms, and R„ and R„ each, independently, is a C.-C 4 alkyl or alkanol group, or R„R„ is a heterocyclic residue. Presently preferred R^ groups include C fi -C„ 2 alkyl groups, Cg-C o n alkoxy- alkyl groups, and C 8 -C 22 aminoalkyl groups. Presently preferred R„ and , groups include methyl groups, ethyl groups, and hydroxyethyl groups. Presently preferred heterocyclic groups of which ^ ^ R„ can be a residue thereof, include, for example, piperidine, morpholine and the like. Synthesis of the amine oxide promoters is routine and generally involves the reaction of a suitable tertiary amine with a peroxidizing agent, preferably hydrogen peroxide, at temperatures of about 60° to 80° C. for forming the amine oxide. Peracids also can be important reagents for this synthesis (see March, Advanced Organic Chemistry, 2nd Edition, page 1111, McGraw-Hill, Inc., New York, New York 1977). The nitrogen-oxygen linkage in the amine oxide is a coordinate covalent bond and such amine oxides can be amphoteric depending upon the pH. Whether such amphoteric property of the amine oxide is important in its effectiveness as a prom oter for froth flotation is unknown and is not a lim itation of the invention since the amine oxide promoters, in fact, are effective in froth flotation as disclosed by the present invention. Synthesis of the tertiary amines which can be converted to the amine oxide promoters is conventional and many of such tertiary amines can be OMPI /.. WIIPPOO Λ purchasedfrom commercial sources. The exampleswilldetailsomerepresentative synthesis schemes for synthesizing the tertiary amines and their conversion to the amine oxide promoters. Certainly those skilled in the art will appreciate how such amine oxide promoters can be synthesized. The amine oxide promoters are used in an effective proportionf or promotingthefrothflotationproeessandgenerallysuch proportion ranges from about 0.0005 weight percent to about 0.025 weight percent based on the weight of the mineral ore being subjected to the froth flotation process. The amine collectors (cationic amine collectors) which form a part of the amine collector blend with the amine oxide promoters generally are those amine collectors conventionally used in mineral froth flotation processes, though specially prepared amine collectors (e.g. primary ether amines) may be used as is necessary, desirable, or convenient. More often, the promoting effect of the amine oxide is so great relative to the collector effect of the amine collectors that the particular type of amine collector used is of relatively little importance in the process. Conventional amine collectors are long straight chain (for example, C, g -C 22 ) primary aliphatic amines, such as, for example, tallow amines. Such amine collectors are widely used in sylvite flotation from sylvinite ores. Such amine collectors generally are synthesized from corresponding fatty acids which can be vegetable oil fatty acids, tall oil fatty acids, animal fat, marine oils, and combinations of such fatty acids. Common practice in this froth flotation field involves the blending of various amine collectors for use in the froth flotation process. Generally, such conventional amine collectors will contain mixtures of amines whose carbon chain length is C-, R , ^18'^ 0' an< ^ ^2 " ^ e P ree * se proportion of the particular indicated ehainlength amine collectors heretofore has been based upon the effectiveness of the collector in the froth flotation process to a degree and more importantly upon the tempera¬ ture of the flotation bath. For example, when the flotation bath is at a temperature of around 30 to 35 C, which condition often is reached during the summer, the amine collector blend typically will contain about 75 to 80 percent C 2 _ and C 2 „ amines with the balance being C- ., C. R , and C. _ amines. When the bath temperature is relatively low, say about 20 to 25°C which can be a typical winter temperature, the amine collector generally comprises about 50 percent C„ n and C„„ amines with the balance being a mixture of C. ., C. fi , and C. „ amines. A decisive advantage of the present invention is that the particular amine collector blend need not be reformulated according to the temperature of the flotation bath because the amine oxide promoters are so effective in the process that virtually any composition of amine collector can be used at any froth flotation bath temperature practiced. Other chemicals which are conventionally added to the flotation bath include non-polar hydrocarbon oils which enhance the beneficial effect of the collector amines and conventional frothers or frothing agents. Typical non-polar hydrocarbon oils include synthetic coal oil, fuel oil, and various petroleum oils. Most frothing agents are alcohols such as pine oil, methyl isobutyl carbinol and the like. The non- polar hydrcarbon oils and frothing agents for the present invention are conventional in composition and in proportions used. Optionally, a slime depressant can be added to the bath in conventional fashion or an auxiliary reagent such as a pasted starch (U.S. Pat. No. 3,456,790) may be added also. The amine oxide promoted collector blend of the present invention broadly ean have a weight ratio of amine oxide to amine collector of about 1:10 to about 1:0.8. The proportion of amine collector in the blend may be less than is conventionally used in froth flotation processes which employ aliphatic and similar amines alone as the collector. Additionally, the intensity of the amine oxide promoters in the process is sufficient to permit the use of shorter chain aliphatic amines in the blend and still provide a substantial improvement in the froth flotation process. Accord¬ ingly, significant C~, C. fl , C. „, and C. . primary aliphatic amines can be used in the novel amine collector blend of the present invention as well as the predominantly used C. fi -C„„ aliphatic amines. Heretofore, the use of substantial proportions of C- 2 , C. . and shorter chain aliphatic amines as collectors in froth flotation processes was not possible. Also, the amine oxide substantially diminishes the adverse effect which the extender oil has on the stability of the froth in the process, as will be demonstrated in the examples which follow. In order to convert the amine collector and amine oxide promoter into a practical form for use in a froth flotation process, such amine and amine oxide are neutralized (acidulated) with a proton donating acid. Such neutralization is necessary because most aliphatic amine collectors are solid at room temperature and the amine oxide promoters are thick viscous liquids at best. About a 6096-70% minimum neutralization is required in order to stabily disperse the blend in water, though in excess of 100% neutralization can be practiced at the expense of extra acid. Suitable (protic) acids for neutralizing (forming an acid salt) the blend include mineral acids such as, for example, HC1, H 2 sθ 4 and the like; organic acids such as, for example, acetic acid, propionic acid, formic acid, lactic acid and the like; and mixtures thereof. Generally a 10%-60% non-volatile solids concentration of the amine collector and amine oxide is used, though higher solids concentrations may be preferred if practical viscosities can be maintained. In practicing the present invention, the mineral ore to be subjected to the froth flotation process typically is comminuted or attrited, though certain beach sand size ores may by-pass this step. Typically, the ore should be in a size not substantially greater than about 6 mesh (Tyler sieve series and corresponding to about 3.3 mm). Significantly larger particles generally are impossible to effectively buoy in the froth. There is no real lower size restriction on the ore fed to the process. It should be noted that the present invention makes recovery of the coarse ore fraction ranging in size from about 6 to 20 mesh (about 1 to 3.3 mm) in exceptionally good yields. Preferred feed for the process includes potash or sylvinite ore, phosphate ore, glass-grade sand and the like, though the novel amine collector blend of the present invention can be used effectively on any particle which is susceptible to selective flotation using conventional amine collectors. Often, the ore requires desliming in order to remove clays and other insoluble material. For example, potash ores typically contain sylvite, sodium chloride, and about 1 to 7 percent by weight insoluble clay materials. Desliming conventionally is practiced by dispersing the ore in saturated brine containing a dispersant (such as sodium metasilicate, for example) with continual washing of the ore with saturated brine until a significant proportion of the original slimes are removed. Additionally, a slime depressant can be added during the conditioning stage of the process. Next, most ores are conditioned by the addition of the amine collector and amine oxide promoter, optionally containing the extender oil and slime depressant also. Step- wise conditioning with the individual chemical additives may be practiced also. Conditioning times for most ores generally ranges from about 1 to 5 minutes or thereabouts. It should be noted that in sylvite flotation from sylvinite ore, all steps of the process utilize a saturated brine as the aqueous phase in order to prevent the sylvinite from dissolving in the water. Preferably, such brine contains dissolved sylvite in water, though other salts could be used to form the brine. The conditioned ore then is admitted to a conventional flotation cell in a proportion of about 15 to 30 percent ore solids by weight at a flotation temperature often ranging from about 15° to 40°C. The conditioned ore concentrate preferably already contains the amine collector, amine oxide promoter, and other chemicals desirably added as described above. The frothing agent is added to the cell and flotation proceeds under froth flotation conditions in conventional fashion. Froth flotation conditions for present purposes comprehends the cell temperature, froth generating intensity, ore solids concentration in the flotation cell, composition o brine used, additives (for example, extender oil, slime depressant, frothing agent, and the like), and similar conventional factors. Flotation separation times can be a short as about 30 seconds with the novel amine collector blend on up to conventiona times of about 2 to 3 minutes, of course depending upon the concentration of ore i the cell, the particular design of the cell utilized, and a variety of other factors wel known to those artisans skilled in this art. It should be noted that the amine oxid improves the flotation kinetics of the particles being collected in the froth and, thus, can substantially increase the throughput of ore in the flotation process. Also, recoveries in excess of 80 percent on the average of the coarser fraction of ore fe to the process can be realized with the present invention. The following examples show how the present invention can be practiced, bu should not be construed as limiting. In this application, all percentages an proportions are by weight, all temperatures are in degrees Centigrade, and all unit are in the metric system, unless otherwise expressly indicated. EXAMPLES In the examples, the following general flotation procedure was practiced. Th sylvinite ore from the Saskatchewan Province in Canada was screened to isolate th -6 to +20 mesh fraction (Tyler standard sieves series). This coarse size ore fractio is difficult to effectively separate by froth flotation techniques due to the larg particle size of such fraction. Samples of this ore fraction (250 gm per sample) wer deslimed in saturated brine (water saturated with KCL) containing 0.04% (by weigh of the ore) sodium metasilieate dispersant (anti-flocculant) and washed wit saturated brine until about 50% of the slime content had been removed. Slimes most are insoluble clay minerals in sylvinite ores. Each sample then was conditioned at about 60% solids for one minute in th presence of FINNFIX slime depressant (FINNFIX is a carboxy ethyl cellulos product of Metasaliiton Teollifuuf Oy-Chemieal Division, Finland) and for anothe minute in the presence of Gulf Oil 904 extender oil (a non-polar petroleum-derive hydrocarbon oil, Gulf Oil Corportion, Pittsburgh, Pa). Next, the chosen aliphatic amine (HC1 neutralized aqueous dispersion of the amine) was added and permitted t condition with the ore pulp for one minute. Finally, the amine oxide promoter (HC neutralized aqueous dispersion of the promoter) was added and permitted t condition with the ore pulp for an additional one minute. The conditioned and reagentized ore pulp then was transferred to a WEMCO • laboratory flotation cell (Arthur G. McKee & Co., Cleveland, Ohio), diluted with additional saturated brine, and froth flotationed at 1,000 rpm for 3 minutes or less. The following froth flotation and conditioning conditions prevailed: brine temperature of 25° or 35°C, 0.002% by weight of the ore of methyl isobutyl carbinol frother, 0.008% by weight of the ore of FINNFIX slime depressant, 0.0075% by weight of the ore of Gulf Oil 904 extender, and 15% or 25% by weight ore pulp solids in the cell. The precise flotation temperature, ore pulp solids, and proportions of aliphatic amine and amine oxide will be detailed in each example. The amine oxide promoter was a dialkanol alkoxyalkylene amine oxide (from Structure I, R, is an adduct of the cyanoethylation and subsequent hydrogenation of a C-- 2 -C 15 primary alcohol, R„ and R, each are hydroxyethyl groups) designated as VAROX 185-E (VAROX is a trademark of Sherex Chemical Company, Dublin, Ohio). The aliphatic amine collector was a blend of ADOGEN 101-D amine (hydrogenated aliphatic amine having carbon chains of about 10% C. g , 20% C lg , 30% C 2Q , and 40% C„ and ADOGEN 140 amine (hydrogenated tallow amine having carbon chains of about 5% C 14 , 30% C lg , and 65% C. g (ADOGEN is a registered trademark of Sherex Chemical Company, Dublin, Ohio). The proportions of each amine collector in the blends and the proportions of the blends and amine oxide promoter will be detailed in each example. EXAMPLE I The VAROX 185-E amine oxide was prepared by the dropwise addition under gentle agitation of 20.2 gms (0.297 moles or 1.1 equivalents) of a 50% aqueous hydrogen peroxide solution to 100 gms (0.270 mole) of ADOGEN 185 ethoxylated tertiary amine and 141.6 gms of deionized water held at 60°C. ADOGEN 185 amine is a mixture of amines (99.4% tertiary amine content) and can be represented by the following general structure: C 12-15 H 25-31°- (CH 2 ) 3- N - (CH 2- CH 2- OH) 2- The peroxide addition required 20 minutes. After the reaction mixture went through a gel stage for 2 hours, the mixture was allowed to react for another 4 hours. A reaction temperature of 60 -80 C. was maintained often by cooling of the reaction vessel. The final amine oxide product analyzed 41.7% amine oxide and 0.5% unoxidized tertiary amine. EXAMPLE π In this example, the brine temperature was 35°C and the ore pulp solids in the flotation cell was 15% by weight. Three different aliphatic amine blends were used with and without the addition of the amine oxide promoter. In runs 1A and IB the blend was 75% long chain amine (ADOGEN 101-D) and 25% tallow amine (ADOGEN 140); in runs 2A and 2B, 50% long chain amine and 50% tallow amine, and in runs 3A and 3B, 25% long chain amine and 75% tallow amine. The following results were obtained. TABLE I % Recovery Of Test Amine Blend Amine Oxide Sylvite (% as K 2 0)* Sylvite In No. (wt. %) (wt %) Froth Tails Froth * 1A 0.020 0 61.4 31.8 29.9 IB 0.020 0.005 63.2 24.3 53.0 2A 0.020 0 63.2 32.6 33.6 2B 0.020 0.005 61.2 28.4 38.4 3A 0.020 0 63.2 • 30.7 43.4 3B 0.020 0.005 61.8 22.6 54.8 * Analyzed & Calculated for K 2 0 in all examples (100% Sylvite = 63.2% K 2 0). The above-tabulated results clearly show that the recovery of sylvite from sylvinite ore is greatly enhanced by the addition of the amine oxide promoter even with aliphatic amine collectors of varying composition. Also, the proportion of amine oxide promoter required is relatively small (i.e. aliphatic amine to amine oxide weight ratio of 4:1). EXAMPLE πi The procedure of EXAMPLE II was repeated except that the brine temperature was 25 C. The following results were obtained. OΠPI V IPO TABLE π % Recovery Of Test Amine Blend Amine Oxide Sylvite (% as K 2 0) Sylvite In No. (wt %) (wt %) Froth Tails Froth 1A 0.020 0 59.1 29.3 20.5 IB 0.020 0.005 63.1 17.4 69.1 2A 0.020 0 62.7 32.3 17.4 2B 0.020 0.005 60.7 14.5 57.9 3A 0.020 0 61.1 30.4 23.9 3B 0.020 0.005 62.7 22.5 50.1 The above-tabulated results show the great impact which the amine oxid promoters have on the flotation process. In fact, the recoveries of sylvite ar increased more with the amine oxide than without it at the 25°C brine temperature than at the 35 C brine temperature of EXAMPLE π, as well more sylvite is recovered at the lower brine temperature with the promoter. EXAMPLE IV In this example the effect of higher ore pulp concentrations was investigated using the aliphatic amine blend of runs 3A and 3B of EXAMPLE II at 35°C. and the aliphatic amine blends of runs 2A and 2B of EXAMPLE III at 25°C. respectively. The following results were obtained. TABLE m Ore Pulp Amine Amine Run Brine Solids Blend Oxide Sylvit_ (% as K , 20) * O?f £ Sylvi No. Temp (°C) (wt %) (wt %) (wt %) Froth Tails In F ' rot 1A 35 15 0.020 0.005 62.1 17.8 48.4 IB 35 25 0.020 0.005 60.6 6.5 84.1 • -2 A 25 15 0.020 0.005 63.2 25.9 41.8 2B 25 25 0.020 0.005 62.3 5.7 86.9 The above-tabulated results show that the recovery of sylvite is greater at higher ore pulp solids at any brine temperature, and that lower brine temperatures tend to increase the percentage of sylvite recovered. It must be remembered that the ore in these examples is the coarse fraction, yet recoveries of greater than 80% of such coarse fraction are shown in Runs IB and 2B above. Such excellent recovery of coarse size ore clearly is shown to result from the presence of the amine oxide promoter in the process. EXAMPLE V The proportion of aliphatic amine collector in the previous examples is typical of present-day commercial sylvinite flotation processes. An advantage of the use of the amine oxide promoters is that the proportion of amine collector can be substantially lowered without adversely affecting the process. The following runs are substantially the same as EXAMPLE IV, except that the ore pulp solids was 25% in all runs and the proportion of amine collector was varied. The following results were obtained. TABLE IV Amine Amine Run Brine Blend Oxide Sylvite (% % Recovery as K 2 0) Of Sylvite No. Temp (°C) (wt %) (wt %) Froth Tails In Froth 1A 35 0.020 0.005 60.6 6.5 84.1 IB 35 0.012 0.005 60.4 5.1 87.5 2A 25 0.020 0.005 60.5 7.2 85.4 2B 25 0.012 0.005 62.0 6.2 86.9 The above-tabulated results clearly show that less amine collector can be used without any loss of sylvite recovery. EXAMPLE VI In this example, the sylvinite ore was from potash ore deposits in the Carlsbad, New Mexico, region. The amine collector was 100% of the hydrogenated tallow amine and the ore pulp solids was 25%. The following results were obtained. TABLE V Amine Amine Run Brine Blend Oxide Sylvite (% as K 2 0) * ?--- No. Temp (°C) (wt %) (wt %) Froth Tails In Froth 1A 35 0.016 0 60 .3 14.6 23.2 IB 35 0.016 0.005 60 .4 7.9 57.4 2A 25 0.016 0 57.9 15.4 9.9 2B 25 0.016 0.005 59.6 11.5 34.0 EA CT The increased sylvite recoveries by addition of an amine oxide are de- - monstrated by the above- tabulated results. Ores from different sources in¬ digenously can contain differing impurities often in different proportions. Certainly, the source of the ore and impurities contained in each different source ca affect the froth flotation process. This example demonstrates this. Yet, the amine oxide promoter clearly substantially improved the proportion of sylvite recovered in the process. Thus, tailoring the process and all of its variables is recommended for ores from different sources. Based on the foregoing examples, it was determined that the presently 0 preferred best mode of carrying out the present invention was to conduct the froth flotation on sylvinite (potash) ore at a temperature of 25°-35°C. at an ore solids concentration in the cell of 25-30% by weight using the VAROX 185-E amine oxide in a proportion of about 0.005% by weight and the aliphatic amine blend of ADOGEN 101-D and ADOGEN 140 at a weight percentage ratio of 25:75, respectively, at a blend concentration of about 0.012% by weight. Preferably, the collector amine and amine oxide are neutralized with hydrochloric or the like acid, and the amine oxide is supplied as a 10% dispersion in water at a pH of about 2.0.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. In a froth flotation process wherein preselected particles not substantially larger than about 3.3 mm. average particle size are selectively separated under froth flotation conditions as a froth phase from remaining feed particles as an aqueous phase in the presence of a collector amine, the improvement- characterized by the addition of an effective proportion of an amine oxide promoter represented by R — — O 1 I R 3 where, R. is a linear or branched, substituted or unsubstituted, saturated or unsaturated monovalent aliphatic, alicyclic, alicyclic-aliphatic, or aliphatic- aromatic group which may contain linkages or ether, amine, or sulfide, and R. has an effective chain length of about 6 to 22 atoms, and R ? and R„ each, independently, is a C 1 ~C 4 alkyl or alkanol group, or 2 R„ is a heterocyclic residue. 2. The froth flotation process of claim 1 wherein R, is a C 8 -C 22 alkyl group, alkoxy-alkyl group, or aminoalkyl group. 3. The froth flotation process of claims 1 or 2 wherein « is a methyl group, an ethyl group, or a hydroxyethyl group. 4. The froth flotation process of claim 1 wherein R«R« is a residue of a heterocyclic group selected from a piperidino group and a morpholino group. 5. The froth flotation process of claim 1 wherein the effective proportion of said amine oxide is between about 0.0005% and 0.025% by weight of said feed particles. 6. The process of claim 1 wherein said particles comprise sylvinite ore. 7. The process of claim 1 wherein the weight ratio of said collector amine said amine oxide is between about 10:1 and 0.8:1. 8. The froth flotation process of claim 1 wherein said froth flotati conditions include neutralizing said collector amine and said amine oxide with aci a flotation temperature of about 15°-40 C, and a concentration of particles between about 15%-30% by weight. 9. The froth flotation proees of claim 1 wherein said feed particles are pr conditioned with said collector amine and said amine oxide prior to said flotation. 10. An improved aqueous amine blend useful as a collector in a mineral frot flotation process wherein an amine collector enhances concentration of the desire mineral particles in the froth for their separation and collection, the improveme characterized by an aqueous dispersion of said amine collector and an amine oxid promoter in a weight ratio of about 0.8:1 to 10:1, said amine oxide represented by where, - is a linear or branched, substituted or unsubstituted, saturated unsaturated monovalent aliphatic, alicyclic, alieyclie-aliphatic, or aliphati aromatic group which may contain linkages of ether, amine, or sulfide, an R 1 has an effective chain length of about 6 to 22 atoms, and R- and R_ each, independently, is a C..-C 4 alkyl or alkanol group, or R 2 R„ is a heterocyclic residue. 11. The aqueous amine blend of claim 10 wherein R, is a C c .-C^„ alkyl grou alkoxy-alkyl group, or aminoalkyl group. 12. The aqueous amine blend of claim 10 or 11 wherein R 2 is a methyl group, a ethyl group, or a hydrox ethyl group. 13. The aqueous amine blend of claim 10 wherein R«R Q s a res idue °f a heterocyclic group selected from a piperidino group and a morpholino group. 14. The aqueous amine blend of claim 10 wherein said particles comprise sylvinite ore. OMPI IPO

Inventors: ESCALERA S
Applicants: SHEREX CHEM, SHEREX CHEM CO INC
Application year: 1980
Main classification: B03D1
IPC codes: B03D1