There is provided methods for separating a target material from a raw material by mixing the raw material with water to form a slurry, adding a collector compound to the slurry to modify a relative hydrophobicity of a surface of the target material, adding a facilitator compound to enhance the modification of the relative hydrophobicity of the surface, and forming a froth including a concentrate of the target material. Disclosed methods may also include adding a facilitator compound to a raw material slurry that has been treated with a collector compound and a reagent for neutralizing the collector compound.

The present disclosure relates to a collector composition containing (i) as a primary collector the compound of the formula (I) wherein R is an alkyl group containing between about 5 and about 16 carbon atoms that may be branched or linear, k is a value of about 1 to 3, m is an integer from about 0 to about 25, each A independently is CH2-CH2- or CH2CH(CH3)- or CH2-CH(CH2-CH3)-, n is an integer of at least about 3 and at most about 8, and wherein X is an anion derivable from deprotonating a Brnsted-Lowry acid, and (ii) a second compound selected from the group of other primary collectors, secondary collectors, depressants, frothers, and solvents. The disclosure also relates to a process to treat siliceous ore that contains a step of froth flotating in the presence of a collector composition that contains the primary collector compound.

A method for froth-controlled flotation of argillaceous lepidolite ore, including: crushing and grinding an ore, adding water to obtain pulp; adding agents thereto, and conducting roughing to obtain roughing concentrate and roughing tailing; adding agents to the roughing tailing, and conducting first scavenging to obtain first scavenging concentrate and first scavenging tailing; subjecting the first scavenging tailing to second scavenging to obtain second scavenging concentrate and second scavenging tailing; adding agents to the roughing concentrate, conducting first cleaning to obtain first cleaning concentrate and first cleaning tailing; subjecting the first cleaning concentrate to second cleaning to obtain lithium concentrate I and second cleaning tailing; combining the first scavenging concentrate, second scavenging concentrate, first cleaning tailing, and second cleaning tailing to obtain lithium-containing mixed middling, adding agents thereto, and conducting cleaning-scavenging to obtain lithium concentrate II and cleaning-scavenging tailing; and combining the lithium concentrate I and lithium the concentrate II.

A method for froth-controlled flotation of argillaceous lepidolite ore, including: crushing and grinding an ore, adding water to obtain pulp; adding agents thereto, and conducting roughing to obtain roughing concentrate and roughing tailing; adding agents to the roughing tailing, and conducting first scavenging to obtain first scavenging concentrate and first scavenging tailing; subjecting the first scavenging tailing to second scavenging to obtain second scavenging concentrate and second scavenging tailing; adding agents to the roughing concentrate, conducting first cleaning to obtain first cleaning concentrate and first cleaning tailing; subjecting the first cleaning concentrate to second cleaning to obtain lithium concentrate I and second cleaning tailing; combining the first scavenging concentrate, second scavenging concentrate, first cleaning tailing, and second cleaning tailing to obtain lithium-containing mixed middling, adding agents thereto, and conducting cleaning-scavenging to obtain lithium concentrate II and cleaning-scavenging tailing; and combining the lithium concentrate I and lithium the concentrate II.

The invention provides methods and compositions for improving a froth flotation type separation. The method uses a microemulsion to improve the effectiveness of a frother. The improvement allows for low dosages of frother to work as well as much greater amounts of non-microemulsified frother.

Cationic reverse flotation methods, systems, and processes for producing a marketable iron oxide concentrate from an iron oxide mineral slurry (treatment slurry), wherein the iron oxide content of the concentrate is greater than the iron oxide content of the treatment slurry, include introducing the treatment slurry into a flotation cell, together with a collector, a frother and optionally an iron oxide depressant, and recovering two flow streams from the flotation cell, namely a froth fraction (also referred to as a flotation tail fraction) and a sink material fraction (also referred to as the flotation concentrate), wherein the treatment slurry in the flotation cell is maintained at a Natural pH.

Cationic reverse flotation methods, systems, and processes for producing a marketable iron oxide concentrate from an iron oxide mineral slurry (treatment slurry), wherein the iron oxide content of the concentrate is greater than the iron oxide content of the treatment slurry, include introducing the treatment slurry into a flotation cell, together with a collector, a frother and optionally an iron oxide depressant, and recovering two flow streams from the flotation cell, namely a froth fraction (also referred to as a flotation tail fraction) and a sink material fraction (also referred to as the flotation concentrate), wherein the treatment slurry in the flotation cell is maintained at a Natural pH.

A method for froth-controlled flotation of argillaceous lepidolite ore, including: crushing and grinding an ore, adding water to obtain pulp; adding agents thereto, and conducting roughing to obtain roughing concentrate and roughing tailing; adding agents to the roughing tailing, and conducting first scavenging to obtain first scavenging concentrate and first scavenging tailing; subjecting the first scavenging tailing to second scavenging to obtain second scavenging concentrate and second scavenging tailing; adding agents to the roughing concentrate, conducting first cleaning to obtain first cleaning concentrate and first cleaning tailing; subjecting the first cleaning concentrate to second cleaning to obtain lithium concentrate I and second cleaning tailing; combining the first scavenging concentrate, second scavenging concentrate, first cleaning tailing, and second cleaning tailing to obtain lithium-containing mixed middling, adding agents thereto, and conducting cleaning-scavenging to obtain lithium concentrate II and cleaning-scavenging tailing; and combining the lithium concentrate I and lithium the concentrate II.

A method for froth-controlled flotation of argillaceous lepidolite ore, including: crushing and grinding an ore, adding water to obtain pulp; adding agents thereto, and conducting roughing to obtain roughing concentrate and roughing tailing; adding agents to the roughing tailing, and conducting first scavenging to obtain first scavenging concentrate and first scavenging tailing; subjecting the first scavenging tailing to second scavenging to obtain second scavenging concentrate and second scavenging tailing; adding agents to the roughing concentrate, conducting first cleaning to obtain first cleaning concentrate and first cleaning tailing; subjecting the first cleaning concentrate to second cleaning to obtain lithium concentrate I and second cleaning tailing; combining the first scavenging concentrate, second scavenging concentrate, first cleaning tailing, and second cleaning tailing to obtain lithium-containing mixed middling, adding agents thereto, and conducting cleaning-scavenging to obtain lithium concentrate II and cleaning-scavenging tailing; and combining the lithium concentrate I and lithium the concentrate II.

Frother composition and method of concentrating minerals by flotation. The method comprises providing an aqueous slurry formed by the minerals in finely divided form in water; optionally adding a collector to render the mineral hydrophobic; subjecting the slurry thus obtained to flotation in a flotation cell aerated to form bubbles; and recovering the hydrophobic mineral particles together with the froth to form a concentrate. In the method, an amphiphilic cellulose derivative, is used as such or in combination with a second surfactant as a frother to promote the formation of a stable froth on top of the slurry in the flotation cell. Hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose or hydroxyethyl methyl cellulose are combined with at least one non-ionic organic surfactant or polyglycol esters, for providing a frother. The novel cellulose-based frothers can be used in mineral processing plants to allow for processing of larger quantities of minerals without significant modification of existing facilities.