Methods of extracting rare earth elements (REEs) from low-grade REE sources composed of clayey materials. In one aspect, the REE sources are the waste materials generated in the coal and kaolin clay industries during the courses of upgrading mined coal and kaolinite. The methods described herein include the steps of pre-concentrating REE-bearing minerals using physical separation methods to prepare high-grade feedstocks for the chemical extraction of high-value REEs and critical materials while minimizing both the capital and operating costs.

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.

The present invention relates to a method for the flotation of silicates from ores in the presence of a collecting agent and an effective amount of a froth modifier/collecting booster comprising at least one of the compounds of general formula I or mixtures thereof: ##STR00001##
wherein X is C1-C3 alkyl; R is straight or branched hydrocarbyl group containing 8 to 22 carbon atoms; n is integer from 2-4; m can vary from 0 to 2 and R is X or (CH2).sub.n-N(X).sub.2, with the proviso that when R is (CH2).sub.n-N(X).sub.2, then m is 1.

The present invention relates to a method for the flotation of silicates from ores in the presence of a collecting agent and an effective amount of a froth modifier/collecting booster comprising at least one of the compounds of general formula I or mixtures thereof:

##STR00001##

wherein X is C1-C3 alkyl; R is straight or branched hydrocarbyl group containing 8 to 22 carbon atoms; n is integer from 2-4; m can vary from 0 to 2 and R is X or (CH2).sub.nN(X).sub.2, with the proviso that when R is (CH2).sub.nN(X).sub.2, then m is 1.

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 presently claimed invention relates to a process for the beneficiation of coal and other hydrophobic materials, wherein a collector composition comprising by-products obtained by hydroformylation of octene isomers as a first component and diesel, kerosene and/or C.sub.8-C.sub.20 olefins as a second component is used.

Collectors for froth flotation including oxidized fatty acid compositions and oxidized and maleated compositions. In particular, use of oxidized tall oil compositions and oxidized and maleated fatty acid compositions are disclosed.

Methods for purifying one or more value materials are provided. The method can include contacting an aqueous mixture comprising a value material and a contaminant with a dispersant and a depressant to produce a treated mixture. A weight ratio of the dispersant to the depressant can be from about 1:1 to about 30:1. The method can also include recovering a purified product comprising the value material from the treated mixture. The purified product can have a reduced concentration of the contaminant relative to the aqueous slurry.

The present invention relates to a method for the flotation of silicates from ores in the presence of a collecting agent and an effective amount of a froth modifier/collecting booster comprising at least one of the compounds of general formula (I) or mixtures thereof: wherein X is C1-C3 alkyl; R is straight or branched hydrocarbyl group containing 8 to 22 carbon atoms; n is integer from 2-4; m can vary from 0 to 2 and R is X or (CH2).sub.n-N(X).sub.2, with the proviso that when R is (CH2).sub.n-N(X).sub.2, then m is 1. ##STR00001##

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.