Mechanical working in the presence of a multi-purpose cooling lubricant

1n2m21 11n1222 A method for the mechanical working of metals and alloys which comprises conducting the mechanical working in the presence of an aqueous cooling lubricant having a pH of 6-10 and containing a phosphate ester of the formula R(oxyalkylene)OP(O)(X)(OH) (I), or (HO)(O)P-(oxyalkylene)OP(O)(OH) (II), where Ris an alkyl group with 1-12 carbon atoms, oxyalkylene is a group containing 2-4 carbon atoms, n is a number from 1-20, X is hydroxyl, RO or R(oxyalkylene)O, where R, oxyalkylene and n have the meanings mentioned above, and m is a number from 4-40, or a salt thereof, and an alkenyl substituted succinic acid of the formula HOOCCH(R)CHCOOH (III), where Ris an alkenyl group with 4-10 carbon atoms, or a salt thereof, or a mixture of any of the compounds I, II and III.