Froth Flotation is a selective process for separating minerals from gangue by using surfactants and wetting agents. The selective seperation of the minerals makes processing complex (that is, mixed) orebodies economically feasable. The flotation process is used for the seperation of a large range of sulfides, carbonates and oxides prior to further refinement. Phosphate and coal are also processed by flotation technology.

William Haynes in 1869 patented a process for separating sulfide and gangue minerals using oil and called it bulk-oil flotation. The froth flotation process was invented in 1905 simultaneously by A.H. Higgins in England and by G.A. Chapman in Australia. In the early times, only naturally occurring chemicals such as fatty acids and oils were used as flotation reagents in a large quantity.

Froth flotation commences by comminution, which is used to increase the surface area of the ore for subsequent processing and break the rocks into the desired mineral and gangue (which then has to be separated from the desired mineral); the ore is ground into a fine powder. The desired mineral is rendered hydrophobic by the addition of a surfactant or collector chemical; the particular chemical depends on the mineral is being refined - as an example, pine oil is used to extract copper. This slurry of hydrophobic mineral-bearing ore and hydrophilic gangue is then introduced to a water bath which is aerated, creating bubbles. The hydrophobic grains of mineral-bearing ore escape the water by attaching to the air bubbles, which rises to the surface, forming a foam. The foam is removed and the concentrated mineral is further refined.

Flotation Equipment

Flotation can be performed in mechanically agitated cells or tanks, or in tall flotation columns.

Chemistry of Flotation

Collectors

Xanthates:

• Potassium Amyl Xanthate (PAX)
• Sodium Isopropyl Xanthate (SIPX)
• Sodium Ethyl Xanthate (SEX)

Dithiophosfates.

• Thionocarbamates
• Xanthogen Formates
• Thionocarbamates
• Thiocarbanilide

Frothers

Frothers include:

• Pine oil
• Alcohols (MIBC)
• Polyglycols
• Polyoxyparafins
• Cresylic Acid (Xylenol )

Modifiers

pH modifiers such as:

• Lime CaO
• Soda ash Na₂CO₃
• Caustic soda NaOH
• Acid H₂SO₄, HCl

Cationic modifiers:

• Ba²⁺, Ca²⁺, Cu⁺, Pb²⁺, Zn²⁺, Ag⁺

Anionic modifiers:

• SiO₃^2-, PO₄^3-, CN^-, CO₃^2-, S^2-

Organic modifers:

• Dextrin, starch, glue, CMC

Sulfide Flotation

Oxide and Silicate Flotation

Mechanics of Flotation

The following steps are followed:

1. Grinding to liberate the mineral particles
2. Reagent conditioning to achieve hydrophobic surface charges on the desired particles
3. Collection and upward transport by bubbles in an intimate contact with air or nitrogen
4. Formation of a stable froth on the surface of the flotation cell
5. Separation of the mineral laden froth from the bath (flotation cell)

Flotation Operations

Sulfide Ores:

• Copper
• Copper-Molybdenum
• Lead-Zinc
• Lead-Zinc-Iron
• Copper-Lead-Zinc-Iron
• Gold-Silver
• Oxide Copper and Lead

Non-Sulfide Ores:

• Fluorite
• Tungsten
• Lithium
• Tantalum
• Tin

External links

• University of Pittsburgh School of Engineering Chemical and Petroleum Engineering Department, Froth Flotation Lab notes.