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.

The invention is related to a flotation process using an improved collector to remove alkaline earth metal carbonate impurities from phosphate ores. The flotation feed may be conditioned with the improved carbonate collector at acidic pH, and subjected to a reverse flotation. The cell overflow may be collected as waste in which carbonate minerals dominate, and the cell underflow may be the phosphate concentrate. The collector may be a combination of chemicals, comprising: (1) any kind of fatty acids, either conventional fatty acid, saponified fatty acid, or modified fatty acid; (2) chemicals with sulfonate or sulfate groups, such as dodecylbenzene sulfonic acid (DDBSA) or its salt, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), sodium coco sulfate (SCS), etc.; and (3) phosphorous-bearing chemicals, such as sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP), sodium hexametaphosphate (SFMP), trisodium phosphate (TSP), Tetrasodiumpyrophosphate (TSPP), etc. With the improved collector, the separation selectivity and phosphate recovery may be significantly improved.

The invention is related to a flotation process using an improved collector to remove alkaline earth metal carbonate impurities from phosphate ores. The flotation feed may be conditioned with the improved carbonate collector at acidic pH, and subjected to a reverse flotation. The cell overflow may be collected as waste in which carbonate minerals dominate, and the cell underflow may be the phosphate concentrate. The collector may be a combination of chemicals, comprising: (1) any kind of fatty acids, either conventional fatty acid, saponified fatty acid, or modified fatty acid; (2) chemicals with sulfonate or sulfate groups, such as dodecylbenzene sulfonic acid (DDBSA) or its salt, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), sodium coco sulfate (SCS), etc.; and (3) phosphorous-bearing chemicals, such as sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP), sodium hexametaphosphate (SFMP), trisodium phosphate (TSP), Tetrasodiumpyrophosphate (TSPP), etc. With the improved collector, the separation selectivity and phosphate recovery may be significantly improved.

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.

The present invention is directed to methods that can be used in the enrichment of metal sulfide ores in desired minerals in cases where the ores have sulfide-containing gangues. The method involves adding an oxidant to slurries prepared from the ores during, or immediately prior to froth flotation.

The present invention is directed to methods that can be used in the enrichment of metal sulfide ores in desired minerals in cases where the ores have sulfide-containing gangues. The method involves adding an oxidant to slurries prepared from the ores during, or immediately prior to froth flotation.

The present invention provides improved methods for purifying and/or removing multiply charged cations and suspended solids from water. In particular the process relates to an additive composition that has the appropriate surfactant characteristics for effectively removing multiply charged cations and suspended solids from an aqueous or oil/aqueous mixed phase via foam fractionation. According to the invention, a hydrophobically modified polymer that acts as an associative thickener is used in the presence of a source of alkalinity or anionic reactant as well as surfactant in appropriate ratios to facilitate multiply charged cation and suspended solids removal for water purification in any of a number of commercial, environmental and industrial applications.

A process for recovering a first mineral comprising the steps of: (a) providing a pulp comprising solids and water, wherein the solids comprise the first mineral; (b) adding a first depressant to the pulp; (c) subjecting the pulp to a froth flotation process to produce a froth comprising the first mineral; and (d) recovering the froth; characterized in that the first mineral is a sulfide mineral, and the first depressant consists of one or more dithiocarbamic acids or salts thereof of formula (I). A composition comprising the first depressant, and further comprising one, two or three of a collector, a second depressant and a mineral. The use of a dithiocarbamic acid or salt thereof of formula (I). The dithiocarbamic acid or salt thereof of formula (I) which is 3-ammo-1,2-propanediol dithiocarbamic acid or a salt thereof, 2-amino-2-methyl-1,3,-propanediol dithiocarbamic acid or a salt thereof, or N-phenylethylenediamine dithiocarbamic acid or a salt thereof.

A process for recovering a first mineral comprising the steps of: (a) providing a pulp comprising solids and water, wherein the solids comprise the first mineral; (b) adding a first depressant to the pulp; (c) subjecting the pulp to a froth flotation process to produce a froth comprising the first mineral; and (d) recovering the froth; characterized in that the first mineral is a sulfide mineral, and the first depressant consists of one or more dithiocarbamic acids or salts thereof of formula (I). A composition comprising the first depressant, and further comprising one, two or three of a collector, a second depressant and a mineral. The use of a dithiocarbamic acid or salt thereof of formula (I). The dithiocarbamic acid or salt thereof of formula (I) which is 3-ammo-1,2-propanediol dithiocarbamic acid or a salt thereof, 2-amino-2-methyl-1,3,-propanediol dithiocarbamic acid or a salt thereof, or N-phenylethylenediamine dithiocarbamic acid or a salt thereof.

Disclosed is an application of a class of selenium-containing organic compounds in copper sulfide flotation collectors, including organic compound with selenium atoms as functional groups and containing single selenium atom or multiple selenium atoms, where the organic compound with selenium atoms as functional groups and containing single selenium atom or multiple selenium atoms includes but not limited to selenophene, phenylselenol and diselenide as copper collectors; and a class of organic compound containing selenium atoms combined with nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, sulfur and carbon, where the class of organic compound containing selenium atoms combined with nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, sulfur and carbon includes but not limited to selenomethyl ester, carbonyl selenomethyl ester, oxycarbonyl selenomethyl ester, selenourea, selenium nitrogen, selenoxanthonic acid, selenoxanthate, selenophosphoric acid, selenium phosphate ester, triphenylphosphine selenide, all kinds of benzoselenediazole molecules as copper collectors.