Collector composition and methods of using thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12415190-B2
Application number	US-202117644906-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 17, 2021
Priority date	Dec 21, 2020
Publication date	Sep 16, 2025
Grant date	Sep 16, 2025

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a method for the beneficiation of an ore in a froth flotation process. The method comprises contacting an ore in a liquid medium to a collector composition comprising a plant-derived liquid decarboxylated rosin acid (DCR) collector. The DCR comprises 40 to 100 wt. % of tricyclic compounds having 18-20 carbon atoms, one or more C═C groups, and m/z (mass/charge) value of 220-280. The DCR has an oxygen content of <5%, a density of 0.9 to 1.0 g/cm3 at 20° C., and an acid value of <50 mg KOH/g.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for the beneficiation of an ore in a froth flotation process, the method comprising:
providing a slurry comprising the ore dispersed in a liquid medium;
contacting the slurry with a collector composition comprising a decarboxylated rosin acid (“DCR”),
wherein the DCR comprises 40 to 100 wt. % of tricyclic compounds having 18-20 carbon atoms, one or more C═C groups, and m/z (mass/charge) value of 220-280, as measured by GC-FID-MS, wherein sum of tricyclic compounds as aromatic DCR species having a MW of 252 or 256 and cycloaliphatic DCR species having a MW of 260 or 262 in the DCR is >50 wt. %; and
wherein the DCR has:
an oxygen content of <3%;
a density of 0.9 to 1.0 g/cm 3 at 20° C.; and
an acid value of <30 mg KOH/g;

sparging the slurry to form a froth layer containing a concentrate and a bottom layer containing tailings; and
recovering the concentrate from the froth layer as the beneficiated ore.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the DCR has >25 wt. % aromatic content, >40 wt. % naphthenic content, and >15 wt. % paraffinic content, based on total weight of the DCR.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the DCR has 30-60% wt. % aromatic content, 40-60 wt. % naphthenic content, and 20-35 wt. % paraffinic content, all based on total weight of the DCR.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the DCR has at least one of:
a Brookfield viscosity of 20-50 cSt, measured at 40° C.;
an aniline point of at least 15° C.;
a pour point of less than 30° C.;
a sulfur content of <0.05 wt. %;
a Gardner color of <3; and
a flash point of <160° C.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the DCR comprises >30% by weight of tricyclic compounds as cycloaliphatic.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the DCR comprises >60% by weight of tricyclic compounds as aromatics and cycloaliphatic.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the DCR comprises <30% by weight of tricyclic compounds as reactive double bond.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the collector composition is present in an amount ranging from 0.02 lb. per ton of ore to 20 lb. per ton of ore.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the slurry is from 20-80% by weight solids.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the collector composition is to facilitate recovery of the mineral from the slurry in a direct flotation process or a reverse flotation process.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the collector composition further comprises an additional collector selected from ionic collectors, nonionic collectors, amines, fatty acids, fuel oil, motor oil, used motor oil, kerosene, petroleum sulfonate, thionocarbamates, xanthates, tall oil, thiophosphates, oleic acid, linoleic acid, xanthogen formate, sodium dodecyl sulfate, mercaptans, and combinations thereof, at a weight ratio of DCR to the additional collector between 0.5:99.5 to 99.5:0.5.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ore is iron, phosphate, barite, coal, fluorite, feldspar, potash, fluorspar, magnesite, scheelite, celestite, anglesite, alunite, bauxite, gypsum, kainite, biotite, calcite, dolomite, albite, orthoclase, microcline, anhydrite, columbite, tantalite, pyrochlore, apatite, cassiterite, wolframite, rutile, ilmenite, hematite, kaolin, noble metals, refractory metals, rare earth metals, or mixtures thereof.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein collector has increased recovery at a given concentrate assay or an increased concentrate assay at a given recovery of at least 0.5% when the mineral of interest is phosphate.

14. A method for the beneficiation of an ore in a froth flotation process, the method comprising:
providing a slurry comprising:
an ore comprising a mineral of interest;
a liquid medium;
a collector composition comprising a decarboxylated rosin acid (“DCR”),
wherein the DCR comprises 40 to 100 wt. % of tricyclic compounds having 18-20 carbon atoms, one or more C—C groups, and m/z (mass/charge) value of 220-280, as measured by GC-FID-MS, wherein sum of tricyclic compounds as aromatic DCR species having a MW of 252 or 256 and cycloaliphatic DCR species having a MW of 260 or 262 in the DCR is >50 wt. %; and
wherein the DCR has:
 an oxygen content of <3%;
 a density of 0.9 to 1.0 g/cm 3 at 20° C.; and
 an acid value of <30 mg KOH/g;

sparging the slurry to form a froth layer containing a concentrate and a bottom layer containing tailings; and
recovering the concentrate from the froth layer as the beneficiated ore.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the DCR has >25 wt. % aromatic content, >40 wt. % naphthenic content, and >15 wt. % paraffinic content, based on total weight of the DCR.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the DCR has 30-60% wt. % aromatic content, 40-60 wt. % naphthenic content, and 20-35 wt. % paraffinic content, all based on total weight of the DCR.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the DCR has at least one of:
a Brookfield viscosity of 20-50 cSt, measured at 40° C.;
an aniline point of at least 15° C.;
a pour point of less than 30° C.;
a sulfur content of <0.05 wt. %;
a Gardner color of <3; and
a flash point of <160° C.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the collector composition is present in an amount ranging from 0.02 lb. per ton of ore to 20 lb. per ton of ore.

19. A slurry composition for the beneficiation of an ore in a flotation process, the composition comprising:
an ore comprising a mineral of interest;
a liquid medium; and
a collector composition in an amount of 0.02-20 lb. per ton of ore, comprising:
>0.5 wt. % of a decarboxylated rosin acid (“DCR”),
wherein the DCR comprises 40 to 100 wt. % of tricyclic compounds having 18-20 carbon atoms, one or more C═C groups, and m/z (mass/charge) value of 220-280, as measured by GC-FID-MS, wherein sum of tricyclic compounds as aromatic DCR species having a MW of 252 or 256 and cycloaliphatic DCR species having a MW of 260 or 262 in the DCR is >50 wt. %; and
wherein the DCR has:
an oxygen content of <3%;
a density of 0.9 to 1.0 g/cm 3 at 20° C.; and
an acid value of <30 mg KOH/g;

<99.5 wt. % of an additional collector; and

optional components, in an amount of <20 wt. %, selected from a frothing agent, a depressant, an activator, a modifier, and combinations thereof, based on the total weight of the slurry.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the DCR has >25 wt. % aromatic content, >40 wt. % naphthenic content, and >15 wt. % paraffinic content, based on total weight of the DCR.

Assignees

• Kraton Polymers Llc
• Kraton Corp

Inventors

• Heebner Gerald
• Nelson Lloyd

Classifications

• B03D1/006 Primary

  Hydrocarbons · CPC title

• B03D2203/02

  Ores · CPC title

• B03D2201/02

  Collectors · CPC title

• B03D1/023 Primary

  Carrier flotation; Flotation of a carrier material to which the target material attaches · CPC title