Short for flotation, flotation separation, is according to different mineral particles surface physical and chemical properties, the sorting according to mineral flotability of difference method.The commonly used flotation agents are collector, foaming agent, inhibitor, activator, pH adjustment agent, dispersant, flocculant and so on.
The working principle of
The ore is crushed and ground to separate all kinds of minerals into single particles, and the particle size meets the requirements of flotation technology.Add various flotation agents to the pulp after grinding and stir to make it interact with mineral particles, so as to enlarge the difference of floatability between different mineral grains.
Adjust the slurry into the flotation tank, stirring air.The ore particles in the pulp contact and collide with the bubbles, and the ore particles with good buoyancy adhere to the bubbles selectively and are carried up into the mineralized foam layer composed of gas-liquid-solid phase, which is scraped mechanically or overflows from the pulp surface, and then dehydrated and dried into concentrate products.The discharge of gangue and other mineral particles from the bottom of the flotation tank as tailings is positive flotation.
Sometimes, the useless mineral particles out, the useful mineral particles in the slurry, known as reverse flotation, such as quartz out of iron ore.
In principle, flotation is a mineral with high buoyancy and little amount.
At the technical level, almost all minerals can be separated from ore by flotation, and economic feasibility must be considered.
Flotation is an important technology in resource processing technology, and its application prospect is broad. Most minerals can be separated from ores by flotation, and secondary resources and non-mineral resources can be processed, such as the separation of metal and non-metallic minerals, waste water treatment, bacterial species separation and so on.
With the continuous development of flotation, flotation is not limited to metallurgical and mining industries, but has broad application prospects in chemical industry, paper making, food, agriculture, industrial waste and wastewater treatment.
Flotation has advantages and disadvantages.Advantage is
1) wide application range and strong adaptability.It can almost be used in all kinds of non-ferrous metals, rare metals and non-metals and other mineral sectors, in the chemical industry, building materials, environmental protection, agriculture and other fields have been widely used.
2) high sorting efficiency, suitable for the treatment of low grade, fine embedded minerals.
3) it is conducive to comprehensive recovery of mineral resources.The crude concentrate, medium ore or tailings obtained by other processing methods can be further processed to improve concentrate grade, recovery and comprehensive recovery of useful components.
4) fine particle size: it is effective to treat the minerals with fine particle contamination.
Disadvantage is
1) the use of various agents will easily cause environmental pollution, so purification and treatment facilities need to be added.
2) fine grinding particle size is required.
3) high cost, many influencing factors and high process requirements.
As one of the widely used mineral processing methods, the application field of flotation is expanding.
