Materials and processes for flotation of mineral substances

Abstract From the Canadian patent

This invention provides a method of concentrating a metaliferous ore containing also substantial quantities of pyrites and/or pyrrhotite and/or sphalerite and comprises subjecting an aqueous pulp of the ore to a froth flotation process in the presence of a depressant and in which (1) pyrites and/or pyrrhotite and/or, (2) sphalerite, is depressed by using as the depressant an amine in which at least 20% of the total number of amine groups are tertiary amine groups and in which the number of quaternary amine groups present is zero or is less than one-third the number of tertiary amine groups.