The present invention discloses polythiol compositions containing monothiotricyclodecenes, dithiotricyclodecanes, and intermolecular sulfide compounds, as well as mining chemical collector compositions containing such polythiol compositions. Flotation processes for recovering metals, such as copper and molybdenum, from ores using the mining chemical collector compositions also are disclosed.

The present invention is directed to a method for selectively recovering a mineral from an ore applying a promoter being a substituted ethylene diamine. Further, the present invention is directed to the use of said substituted polymeric alkylenediamine to separate a target mineral from an ore.

Processing of mineral material containing precious metal with one or more sulfide minerals and non-sulfide gangue minerals including acid-consuming carbonate may include preparation of a sulfide concentrate by flotation with the flotation or conditioning prior to flotation using a gas comprising carbon dioxide. Flotation may be at an acidic pH without prior decomposition of the acid-consuming carbonate and may be without addition of acid for pH adjustment.

The present invention discloses polythiol compositions containing monothiotricyclodecenes, dithiotricyclodecanes, and intermolecular sulfide compounds, as well as mining chemical collector compositions containing such polythiol compositions. Flotation processes for recovering metals, such as copper and molybdenum, from ores using the mining chemical collector compositions also are disclosed.

The disclosure is directed to a sulfidizing agent obtainable by mixing M.sub.yS.sub.x and ZSH in a weight ratio of from about 90:10 to about 10:90, wherein M is chosen from Li.sup.+, Na.sup.+, K.sup.+, Rb.sup.+, Cs.sup.+, NH.sub.4.sup.+, Mg.sup.2+ and Ca.sup.2+, y is about 1 or about 2, x is from about 1.1 to about 5, and Z is independently chosen from Li.sup.+, Na.sup.+, K.sup.+, Rb.sup.+, Cs.sup.+ and NH.sub.4.sup.+, and a process for using the sulfidizing agent in the recovery of one or more metal ores and/or polymetallic minerals from gangue.

The present invention provides methods and composition for improving a froth flotation process for the removal of mineral values from aqueous solutions. The method uses mercaptide microemulsions to improve the separation effectiveness of a collector. The present invention provides a method of enhancing the performance of a collector in a froth flotation separation of mineral ore in a medium, the method comprising the steps of: forming a slurry by blending a collector microemulsion, the mineral ore in a medium, and optionally other additives, and removing concentrate from the ore by sparging the slurry; wherein the collector microemulsion comprises a continuous phase which is an aqueous carrier fluid and a dispersed phase comprises a mercaptide.