The present invention relates to the use of branched fatty alcohol-based compounds selected from the group of fatty alcohols with 12-16 carbon atoms having a degree of branching of 1-3, and their alkoxylates with a degree of ethoxylation of up to 3, as secondary collectors for the froth flotation of non-sulfidic ores, incombination with a primary collector selected from the group of amphoteric and anionic surface active compounds.

The present invention relates to the use of branched fatty alcohol-based compounds selected from the group of fatty alcohols with 12-16 carbon atoms having a degree of branching of 1-3, and their alkoxylates with a degree of ethoxylation of up to 3, as secondary collectors for the froth flotation of non-sulfidic ores, incombination with a primary collector selected from the group of amphoteric and anionic surface active compounds.

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 improved methods for purifying and/or removing oily particles, and/or contaminants suspended or dissolved in water. In particular the process relates to an additive composition that has the appropriate surfactant characteristics for effectively removing an oil phase from an oil/aqueous mixed phase via foam fractionation. According to the invention, a hydrophobically modified polymer that acts as an associative thickener is combined with surfactant in appropriate ratios to facilitate oil removal for water purification in any of a number of commercial, environmental and industrial applications.

A process for cleaning and dewatering hydrophobic particulate materials is presented. The process is performed in in two steps: 1) agglomeration of the hydrophobic particles in a first hydrophobic liquid/aqueous mixture; followed by 2) dispersion of the agglomerates in a second hydrophobic liquid to release the water trapped within the agglomerates along with the entrained hydrophilic particles.

Disclosed are a slow-release inhibitor for high-magnesium sulfide mineral flotation and an application thereof, where the inhibitor is a nano colloidal particle of an alkaline earth fluoride such as CaF.sub.2 and BaF.sub.2 or a highly-reactive natural alkaline earth metal mineral powder. When applied to the flotation separation of a high-magnesium sulfide ore, the inhibitor can slowly release F ions to preferentially form a MgF.sub.2 layer on the magnesium-containing mineral surface, which provides a structure similar to MgF.sub.2 on a surface of oxidized gangue minerals such as magnesium oxide, changing surface electrical property of the magnesium-containing mineral, inhibiting heterogeneous coagulation of magnesium-containing minerals and sulfide ores due to electrostatic attraction and reducing entrainment, enveloping and agglomeration of gangue minerals to efficiently inhibit the flotation of oxidized gangue minerals such as magnesium oxide.

An aqueous formulation for use in slick water fracturing, water treatment, enhanced oil recovery, drilling, erosion control, dust abatement or mining flotation operations includes (i) one or more than one polymer (AA) which is a water-soluble polymer; (ii) water; (iii) one or more than one quaternary ammonium compound; and (iv) one or more than one scale inhibitor.

The present invention provides improved methods for purifying and/or removing oily particles, and/or contaminants suspended or dissolved in water. In particular the process relates to an additive composition that has the appropriate surfactant characteristics for effectively removing an oil phase from an oil/aqueous mixed phase via foam fractionation. According to the invention, a hydrophobically modified polymer that acts as an associative thickener is combined with surfactant in appropriate ratios to facilitate oil removal for water purification in any of a number of commercial, environmental and industrial applications.

In order to decrease arsenic, which is a harmful substance, in a copper concentrate, provided is a method for selectively recovering an arsenic-containing copper mineral from a mixture including the arsenic-containing copper mineral and a non-arsenic-containing copper mineral, and a flotation agent used in the same. For a collecting agent, which is a component of the flotation agent used in a flotation step for selectively recovering the arsenic-containing copper mineral from the mixture including the arsenic-containing copper mineral and the non-arsenic-containing copper mineral, a sulfide compound having an R.sub.1—S—R.sub.2 (in this expression, R.sub.1 is a C.sub.5-.sub.10 alkyl group, and R.sub.2 is a C.sub.1-.sub.10 alkyl group) structure such as methyl n-octyl sulfide or di-n-octyl sulfide is used.

In order to decrease arsenic, which is a harmful substance, in a copper concentrate, provided is a method for selectively recovering an arsenic-containing copper mineral from a mixture including the arsenic-containing copper mineral and a non-arsenic-containing copper mineral, and a flotation agent used in the same. For a collecting agent, which is a component of the flotation agent used in a flotation step for selectively recovering the arsenic-containing copper mineral from the mixture including the arsenic-containing copper mineral and the non-arsenic-containing copper mineral, a sulfide compound having an R.sub.1—S—R.sub.2 (in this expression, R.sub.1 is a C.sub.5-.sub.10 alkyl group, and R.sub.2 is a C.sub.1-.sub.10 alkyl group) structure such as methyl n-octyl sulfide or di-n-octyl sulfide is used.