Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. DETAILED ACTION Priority The applicant’s priority to foreign application filed on March 5 th , 2021 has been accepted. Information Disclosure Statement The Information Disclosure Statement s filed on September 9 th , 2023 and October 4 th , 2023 ha ve been considered by the examiner. Claim Interpretation The term “valuable” is interpreted to be an adjective to differentiate between different component. The applicant is advised wherever the term “or” is used only one of the options has to be found in the prior art Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action: A person shall be entitled to a patent unless – (a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale , or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. (a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. Claim(s) FILLIN "Insert the claim numbers which are under rejection." \d "[ 1 ]" 18-22, 24-28, and 3 2 -34 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 FILLIN "Insert either \“(a)(1)\” or \“(a)(2)\” or both. If paragraph (a)(2) of 35 U.S.C. 102 is applicable, use form paragraph 7.15.01.aia, 7.15.02.aia or 7.15.03.aia where applicable." \d "[ 2 ]" (a)(1) as being FILLIN "Insert either—clearly anticipated—or—anticipated—with an explanation at the end of the paragraph." \d "[ 3 ]" anticipated by FILLIN "Insert the prior art relied upon." \d "[ 4 ]" Domke et al (US 8475662) . With regards to claim 18, Domke discloses a process for separation of at least one valuable matter containing material from a dispersion I comprising said at least one valuable matter containing material and at least one second material wherein the process comprises the steps of:(A) providing the dispersion I comprising the at least one valuable matter containing material and the at least one second material ( Col. 2, L62-65 ); (B) contacting the dispersion I of step (A) with at least one magnetic particle to obtain a contacted dispersion I (Col. 2, L66-Col. 3, L3); (C) separating a magnetic fraction I from the contacted dispersion I by applying a magnetic field (Col. 3, L6-12), wherein the magnetic fraction I comprises the at least one magnetic particle and the at least one valuable matter containing material (Col. 3, L6-8); (D) dispersing the magnetic fraction I in at least one dispersion medium II (Col. 3, L13-16), which contains water and at least one cleavage surfactant (Col. 10, L61-64) to obtain a dispersion II; and (E) separating a non-magnetic fraction II from the dispersion II, wherein the non-magnetic fraction II comprises at least one valuable matter containing material(Col. 3, 17-22); wherein the at least one cleavage surfactant is selected from the group consisting of ( i ) alkylethoxylates (Col. 11, L32), which are obtainable by an ethoxylation of R1-OH with xi equivalents of ethylene oxide based on one equivalent R1-OH, wherein R1 is a branched or linear, unsubstituted C11-C18 alkyl or branched or linear, unsubstituted C 11-C18 alkenyl, and xi is a number larger than or equal to 4.0 and smaller than or equal to 6.5 (Col. 11, L54-57); and (ii) alkylalkoxyethoxylates , (Col. 11, L33) which are obtainable by an alkoxylation of R2-OH with x2 equivalents of ethylene oxide and y2 equivalents of an alkylene oxide different from ethylene oxide, which is propylene oxide, butylene oxide or a mixture thereof, based on one equivalent R2-OH, wherein R2 is a branched or linear, unsubstituted C 12-C18 alkyl or branched or linear, unsubstituted C12-C18 alkenyl,x2 is a number larger than or equal to 4.0 and smaller than or equal to 14.0, and y2 is a number larger than or equal to 1.7 and smaller than or equal to 8.0. With regards to claim 20, Domke discloses all the elements of claim 18 as outlined above. Domke further discloses wherein the at least one valuable matter containing material has been pre-treated with at least one collector (Col. 6, L23-28) . With regards to claim 2 1 , Domke discloses all the elements of claim 20 as outlined above. Domke further discloses wherein the at least one collector is selected from the group consisting of non-ionizing collectors and ionizing collectors (Col. 6, L57-59) . With regards to claim 2 2 , Domke discloses all the elements of claim 18 as outlined above. Domke further discloses wherein the at least one valuable matter is selected from the group consisting of Ag, Au, Pt, Pd, Rh, Ru, Ir , Os , Cu, Mo, Ni, Mn, Zn, Pb, Te , Sn,Hg , Re, V, Fe and combinations or alloys thereof (Col. 7, L18-21) . With regards to claim 2 4 , Domke discloses all the elements of claim 18 as outlined above. Domke further discloses wherein the at least one second material is at least one hydrophilic material (Col. 3, L62-63) . With regards to claim 2 5 , Domke discloses all the elements of claim 18 as outlined above. Domke further discloses wherein the at least one magnetic particle is selected from the group consisting of magnetic metals and mixtures thereof, ferromagnetic alloys of magnetic metals and mixtures thereof, magnetic iron oxides, cubic ferrites of general formula M-IM2+mFe2+1-mFe3+204 (M-I) wherein M is selected from Co, Ni, Mn, Zn and mixtures thereof and m is 1, hexagonal ferrites and mixtures thereof (Col. 4, 47-57) . With regards to claim 2 6 , Domke discloses all the elements of claim 18 as outlined above. Domke further discloses wherein the at least one magnetic particle is a hydrophobized magnetic particle (Col. 4, L66- 67) . With regards to claim 2 7 , Domke discloses all the elements of claim 18 as outlined above. Domke further discloses wherein Rl is a branched or linear, unsubstituted C12-C 18 alkyl or a branched or linear, unsubstituted C12-C 18 alkenyl (Col. 5, L12-13). With regards to claim 2 8 , Domke discloses all the elements of claim 18 as outlined above. Domke further discloses wherein R2 is a branched or linear, unsubstituted C12-C16 alkyl (Col. 5, L14) . With regards to claim 32 , Domke discloses all the elements of claim 18 as outlined above. Domke further discloses wherein in step (D) the content of the at least one cleavage surfactant in the dispersion II is in a range from 0.1 to 5 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of solids of the magnetic fraction I in the dispersion II (Col. 11, L58-62) . With regards to claim 33 , Domke discloses all the elements of claim 18 as outlined above. Domke further discloses wherein in step (D) the content of the at least one cleavage surfactant in the dispersion II is in a range from 0.01 parts to 0.5 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the water in the dispersion II (Col. 11, L58-62) . With regards to claim 34 , Domke discloses all the elements of claim 18 as outlined above. Domke further discloses wherein in step (E) the separation of the non- magnetic fraction II from the dispersion II comprises the separation of a magnetic fraction II from the dispersion II by applying a magnetic field, a flotation, a dense media separation, a gravity separation, a concentration with a spiral concentrator and combinations thereof (Col. 9, L66-Col. 10, L5) . With regards to claim 1 9 , Domke discloses a method for cleaving agglomerates comprising magnetic particles and at least one valuable matter containing material to obtain magnetic particles and at least one valuable matter containing material separately (Col. 3, 17-22); wherein the method comprises at least one cleavage surfactant selected from the group consisting of ( i ) alkylethoxylates (Col. 11, L32), which are obtainable by an ethoxylation of R1-OH with xi equivalents of ethylene oxide based on one equivalent R1-OH, wherein R1 is a branched or linear, unsubstituted C11-C18 alkyl or branched or linear, unsubstituted C 11-C18 alkenyl, and xi is a number larger than or equal to 4.0 and smaller than or equal to 6.5 (Col. 11, L54-57); and (ii) alkylalkoxyethoxylates , (Col. 11, L33) which are obtainable by an alkoxylation of R2-OH with x2 equivalents of ethylene oxide and y2 equivalents of an alkylene oxide different from ethylene oxide, which is propylene oxide, butylene oxide or a mixture thereof, based on one equivalent R2-OH, wherein R2 is a branched or linear, unsubstituted C 12-C18 alkyl or branched or linear, unsubstituted C12-C18 alkenyl,x2 is a number larger than or equal to 4.0 and smaller than or equal to 14.0, and y2 is a number larger than or equal to 1.7 and smaller than or equal to 8.0. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action: A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made. Claim (s) FILLIN "Insert the claim numbers which are under rejection." \d "[ 1 ]" 29-30 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over FILLIN "Insert the prior art relied upon." \d "[ 2 ]" Domke . With regards to claim 2 9 , Domke discloses all the elements of claim 18 as outlined above. Domke does not directly disclose wherein xi is a number larger than or equal to 4.5 and smaller than or equal to 6.5. However, it would to be obvious to a person with ordinary skill in the art to choose a particular formulation in order to enhance separation based on the material being separated. With regards to claim 30 , Domke discloses all the elements of claim 18 as outlined above. Domke does not directly disclose wherein x2 is a number larger than or equal to 4.5 and smaller than or equal to 13.0, and y2 is a number larger than or equal to 1.8 and smaller than or equal to 7.0. However, it would to be obvious to a person with ordinary skill in the art to choose a particular formulation in order to enhance separation based on the material being separated. Claim(s) FILLIN "Pluralize claim, if necessary, and then insert the claim number(s) which is/are under rejection." \d "[ 1 ]" 23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over FILLIN "Insert the prior art reference(s) relied upon for the obviousness rejection." \d "[ 2 ]" Domke as applied to claim FILLIN "Pluralize claim, if necessary, and then insert the claim number(s) which is/are under rejection." \d "[ 3 ]" 18 above, and further in view of FILLIN "Insert the additional prior art reference(s) relied upon for the obviousness rejection." \d "[ 4 ]" Danov et al. (US 8584862), hereafter Danov . With regards to claim 23 , Domke discloses all the elements of claim 18 as outlined above. Domke does not disclose wherein the at least one valuable matter is Mo. However, Danov discloses a method for separating Mo using magnetic fields, therefore it would have been obvious to a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the process disclosed by Domke to separate out Mo in order to enhance separation and increase yield. Allowable Subject Matter Claim 31 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. Claim 31 would be allowable for disclosing “ wherein the alkoxylation of R2-OH is first conducted with x2 equivalents of ethylene oxide to obtain an ethoxylated intermediate and the ethoxylated intermediate is alkoxylated with y2 equivalents of an alkylene oxide different from ethylene oxide, which is propylene oxide, butylene oxide or a mixture thereof. ” There is no teaching or suggestion in the prior art of alkoxylation via both of these steps. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FILLIN "Examiner name" \* MERGEFORMAT JESSICA LYNN BURKMAN whose telephone number is FILLIN "Phone number" \* MERGEFORMAT (571)272-5824 . The examiner can normally be reached FILLIN "Work Schedule?" \* MERGEFORMAT M-Th 7:30am to 6:00pm EST . Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, FILLIN "SPE Name?" \* MERGEFORMAT Michael McCullough can be reached at FILLIN "SPE Phone?" \* MERGEFORMAT (571)272-7805 . The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. 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