Lecture 06 –

Froth Flotation
Prof. Dr. André Carlos Silva
ancarsil@ufcat.edu.br
 Flotation is undoubtedly the most
important and versatile
Flotation mineral separation technique.

Its use and application are

continually being expanded to
treat greater tonnages and to
cover new areas.
 Wills and Finch, 2015

Flotation is a separation process that exploits

natural and induced differences in surface
properties of the minerals, whether the surface
is readily wetted by water.
Froth flotation
Froth flotation

Roles of chemistry modification for laser textured metal alloys to achieve

extreme surface wetting behaviors
April 2020Materials & Design 192(15) DOI: 10.1016/j.matdes.2020.108744
 The system is complex,
involving three phases (solids,
water, and air) and the
interaction of chemical and
Froth flotation physical variables.

Wills and Finch, 2015

https://www.hzdr.de/db/Cms?pOid=54637&pNid=0
Froth flotation

https://ugurulusoy.blogspot.com/2017/01/importance-of-particle-size-and-shape.html
 Process and phases in flotation. Flotation is broadly divided into three main types: (a.)
Salt type flotation (b.) Sulphide flotation (c.) Oxide flotation.

Froth flotation

10.1016/j.colcom.2018.06.003
 The process of material being
recovered by flotation from the
pulp comprises three mechanisms: 1 – Selective attachment to air
bubbles (or “true flotation”)
Froth flotation

2 – Entrainment in the water which

passes through the froth

3 – Physical entrapment between

particles in the froth attached to
air bubbles (often referred to as
“aggregation”)
Wills and Finch, 2015

Recent Progress in the Application of Nanoparticles in Minerals Flotation

January 2021 DOI: 10.36686/Ariviyal.CSER.2021.03.06.027
Froth flotation
 Sequence of events for bubble attachment at a hydrophobic surface
Froth flotation

https://ugurulusoy.blogspot.com/2017/01/importance-of-particle-size-and-shape.html
Water streamline at bubble diameter = 0.9 mm (a) immobile surface bubble; (b) mobile surface bubble

https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/10/4/367/htm
Bubbles in flotation
Bubbles in flotation

https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/10/4/367/htm
 Representation of particle-bubble collection process for different particle sizes

Bubbles in flotation

S.Arriagada, C.Acuña, M.Vera. New technology to improve the recovery of fine particles in froth flotation based on
using hydrophobized glass bubbles. Minerals Engineering, Volume 156, 1 September 2020, 106364
 Four states in which particles exist in a flotation cell

State 4 Particles entrained in Plateau borders

Froth flotation
State 3 Particles attached to the froth phase

Approximate pulp-froth interface

State 2 Particles attached to the air phase

State 1 Particles suspended in the pulp phase

https://ugurulusoy.blogspot.com/2017/01/importance-of-particle-size-and-shape.html
 Principle of froth flotation

Froth flotation

Wills and Finch, 2015

Froth flotation

https://www.mogroup.com/insights/blog/mining-and-metals/flotation-columns-getting-the-most-from-fine-ores/
Froth flotation

https://geneq.com/materials-testing/en/product/metso-minerals/laboratory- https://www.eriezlabequipment.com/lab-equipment/flotation-cells-and-
flotation-machine-7568s in the Application of Nanoparticles in Minerals Flotation classifiers/flotation-column-cells/
 Bubble generation

Froth flotation
Froth flotation

https://www.mogroup.com/insights/blog/mining-and-metals/flotation-columns-getting-the-most-from-fine-ores/
 Hydraulic entrainment in flotation

Froth flotation
 Various ways ultra-fine ‘not collected’ particles, represented in white,
and are entrained into froth

Froth flotation

https://www.911metallurgist.com/blog/froth-flotation-entrainment
 Hydraulic entrainment

Froth flotation

https://millops.community.uaf.edu/amit-145/amit-145-lesson-5/
 Hydrophobicity has to be imparted
to most minerals in order to float
them.
Collectors

Surfactants known as collectors

are added to the pulp and time is
allowed for adsorption during
agitation in what is known as the
Adsorption of collector on mineral surface showing conditioning period.
general orientation with hydrocarbon chain directed
toward the water and making the site hydrophobic

Wills and Finch, 2015

 Representation of the electrical double layer existing at a negatively charged particle surface.
Attracted to this surface and extending into the solution are counterions (in this case, cations) that
maintain electroneutrality. Potential-determining ions can be either part of the component
structure or ions from the solution adsorbed onto the surface. The double layer extends into the bulk
of the solution for a varying distance, depending on the valence and concentration of the
counterions.
Collectors

https://www.911metallurgist.com/blog/flotation-fundamentals
 Different types of collectors, or surfactants, used in froth flotation

Collectors

https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Froth_flotation
 Five main classes of collectors used in iron ore flotation

Collectors

10.1016/j.colcom.2018.06.003
 (a) Schematic illustration of a typical ionic collector (Bulatovic, 2007)
and (b) surface tension (γ) as a function of collector concentration

Collectors

https://aocs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jsde.12200
 Macauba (Acrocomia aculeata) is a
typical fruit from Brazilian Cerrado,
and a perennial palm that naturally
occurs throughout the tropical zone of
Latin America.
Its economic exploitation occurs
both in extractive systems as for
rational cultivation with diverse
products and applications as
pharmacological, nutraceutical,
timber, craft, forage, food, and
fuel.
 Epicarp (bark)
21%

Endocarp (34%)

Endosperm (nut)
7%

It is possible to extract oil

Mesocarp (pulp)
from macauba pulp and 38%
nut.
 Jatropha curcas (Jatropha curcas
L.) has high oil productivity,
resistance to hydric stress, soil and
weather variations, and low
production cost.
 The seeds present good conservation
after harvest and can be stored for long
periods without and degradation of the
oil on them.
 Fatty Acid Macauba pulp* Jatropha curcas**

Oleic – ω9 (C18:1) 58.7 25.7

Palmitic (C16) 19.7 19.6
Stearic (C18) 2.0 9.6
Froth flotation

Cis-vaccenic – ω7 (C18:1) 1.9 -

Linoleic – ω6,9 (C18:2) 7.3 40.0
Palmitoleic – ω7 (C16:1) 2.8 2.4
Linolenic - ω3,6,9 (C18:3) 1.1 -
Gadoleic (C20:1) 0.1 -
Arachidic (C20) 0.2 0.3
Myristic (C14) 1.1 -
Caprylic (C8) 1.1 -
Capric (C10) 0.5 -
Lauric (C12) 3.8 -
Elaidic (C18:1t) - 2.5
* Pachêco et al., 2014; ** Lemões et al., 2011
The tree produces from 100 to 2,000 fruits per year
depending of the variety and location, with a life
expectancy around 50 years.
The fruit weight ranges from 30 to 400 g, typically
containing one to two seeds and rarely three to four
seeds. So one tree can produce around 800 kg of
fruit/year.

Besides being a typical species of the Brazilian

Midwest, the fruit is also found in the southeastern,
northeastern and northern states of the country,
and may be found in Bolivia and Paraguay.
Pequi’s parts: (a) whole fruit; (b) fruit cut in half; (c) outer mesocarp (white pulp); (d) inner mesocarp
(yellow pulp); (e) endocarp and (f) nut.
Commons yeast cells, such
as Saccharomyces
cerevisiae, appears as
viable biomass for
industrial activities.
It is commonly refereed as
baker’s or brewer’s yeast,
and it is widely used to
produce fermented
products such as bread,
beer, and wine.
 Under optimal
conditions, yeast cells
can double their
population every 100
minutes. Mean
replicative lifespan is
about 26 cell divisions.
 Hallimond tube with
saponified BYC at the
beginning of the
microflotation test (t = 0 min)
 Hallimond tube with
saponified BYC at the end
of the microflotation test
(t = 1 min)
 Operating variables in a froth flotation system

Chemistry Components
Collectors
Frothers
Activators
Depressants
pH
Froth flotation

Equipment Components Operation Components

Cell Design Feed Rate
Agitation Mineralogy
Air Flow Particle Size
Cell Bank Configuration Pulp Density
Cell Bank Control Temperature
http://www.chem.mtu.edu/chem_eng/faculty/kawatra/Flotation_Fundamentals.pdf
 Operating variables in a froth flotation system

Froth flotation

https://ugurulusoy.blogspot.com/2017/01/importance-of-particle-size-and-shape.html
 It is well known that following variables are most important in flotation:

1. Slurry properties (density, solids 7. Froth properties (speed, bubble size

content) distribution, froth stability)
Froth flotation
2. Slurry flow rate (retention time) 8. Particle properties (size distribution,
shape, degree of mineral liberation)
3. Electrochemical parameters/potentials
(pH, eH, conductivity) 9. Mineralogical composition of the ore

4. Chemical reagents and their addition 10.Mineral concentrations in the feed,

rate (frothers, collectors, depressants, concentrate and tailings (recovery,
activators) grade)

5. Pulp levels in cells 11.Froth wash water rate (especially in

flotation columns)
6. Air flowrates into cells

Laurila, H., Karesvuori, J., Tiili, O., 2002. Strategies for instrumentation and control of flotation circuits. Mineral Processing
Plant Design, Practise and Control, Volume 1, pp. 2174–2195. ISBN-10: 0873352238.
Flotation frothers
Flotation frothers
 Figure 2. Visualization comparison of bubble size in pure water and Triton X-100 solutions (Qin = 200 ml/min)

Flotation frothers

(a) Pure water (b) Triton X-100 @ 0.05x10-3 mol/L (c) Triton X-100 @ 3.6x10-3 mol/L

Figure 4. Bubble size in Triton X-100 solution @ 0.05x10-3mol/L at various gas flow rates

(a) Qin = 200 mL/min (b) Qin = 400 mL/min (c) Qin = 533 mL/min

DOI:10.1109/iswrep.2011.5893228 Corpus ID: 23124540

Imaging study on bubble size distribution in presence of frother in froth flotation, Liang Yan-peng, Liu Yan-yan et al.
Flotation frothers

Figure 1. Schematic of the experiment setup

DOI:10.1109/iswrep.2011.5893228 Corpus ID: 23124540

Imaging study on bubble size distribution in presence of frother in froth flotation, Liang Yan-peng, Liu Yan-yan et al.
Flotation frothers
 Figure 3. Bubble size distribution in pure water and Triton X-100 solutions (Qin = 200 ml/min)

Flotation frothers

Figure 4. Bubble size distribution in Triton X-100 solution @ 0.05x10-3mol/L at various gas flow rates

DOI:10.1109/iswrep.2011.5893228 Corpus ID: 23124540

Imaging study on bubble size distribution in presence of frother in froth flotation, Liang Yan-peng, Liu Yan-yan et al.
Froth flotation

Tap water F-150 @ 50 ppm

 Frothers behaves as soap and the flotation cell is a bubble bath

Flotation frothers

No soap (frother) = No froth bed! Not enough soap (frother) = Holes in the froth bed!

https://www.911metallurgist.com/blog/flotation-frothers-frothing-agents
 Frothers behaves as soap and the flotation cell is a bubble bath

Flotation frothers

Too much soap (frother) = Froth everywhere! Bathtub level (cell level) too high = No froth bed!

https://www.911metallurgist.com/blog/flotation-frothers-frothing-agents
 Frothers behaves as soap and the flotation cell is a bubble bath

Flotation frothers

Good enough soap (frother) = Nice froth bed!

https://www.911metallurgist.com/blog/flotation-frothers-frothing-agents
Flotation frothers
Cell level
 Changes in bubble size distribution (inset frequency distributions) as frother
concentration (DF-250) is increased in a mechanical forced-air machine

Flotation frothers

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/288879711_A_benchmarking_tool_for_assessing_flotation_cell_performance
 Images of bubble size as frother concentration (DF-250) is
increased for a mechanical forced-air machine

Flotation frothers

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/288879711_A_benchmarking_tool_for_assessing_flotation_cell_performance
 Typical Families of Flotation Frothers – Frothing Agents

Flotation frothers

https://www.911metallurgist.com/blog/flotation-frothers-frothing-agents
Flotation frothers
Example of frothers

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/286229674_Influence_of_frothers_on_bubble_shape_and_velocity_close_to_the_generation_point
Activators
Activators
 Model for the physicochemical processes occurred on the pentlandite surfaces without an
activator (A), in CuSO4 activation system (B) and in NS–2 activation system (C).

Activators

(Fe,Ni)9S8

10.1016/j.colsurfa.2018.02.057
 Proposed adsorption model of Pb2+ and Octyl Hydroxamic Acid (OHA) on the perovskite (CaTiO3)
surface
Activators

https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/8/8/341/htm
Dispersants
Depressants
Depressants
Depressants
 Examples of depressants

Flotation frothers

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/313794620_The_effect_of_mineral_grain_textures_at_particle_surfaces_on_flotation_response
 Floatability of hematite as a function of depressant concentration

Flotation frothers

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/222930599_Reagents_in_iron_ores_flotation
 Sorghum is a genus of flowering
plants in the grass family Poaceae.
Seventeen of the twenty-five species
are native to Australia, with the
range of some extending to Africa,
Asia, Mesoamerica, and certain
islands in the Indian and Pacific
Oceans
81
SEI 5kV SEI 5kV
Cornstarch Sorghum starch

SEI 5kV SEI 5kV 82

Sorghum flour Sorghum flour
pH
 25

15 Hematite

Zeta potential (mV)

Quartz
5

-5 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

-15

-25

-35
pH

-45
pH
 -30
Apatite
-32

Zeta potential (mV)

-34

-36

-38

-40

-42

-44
pH

4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
pH
pH
pH
 The probability of flotation is a
stochastic function of three sub-
Probability of flotation processes that occur in the
collection zone:

Probability of Collision (PC)

Probability of Attachment (PA)

Probability of Detachment (PD)

𝑷 = 𝑷𝑪 𝑷𝑨 𝟏 − 𝑷𝑫
𝑫 𝟐 𝟑 𝟒𝑹𝒆𝟎.𝟕𝟐
𝑷𝑪 = +
𝑷 𝟐 𝟏𝟓
https://millops.community.uaf.edu/amit-145/amit-145-lesson-5/
Probability of flotation
 Increase in maximum flotation cell size (mechanical
cells) over the past 100 years
Flotation machines

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/288879711_A_benchmarking_tool_for_assessing_flotation_cell_performance
 Rougher and scavenger Scavenger cells are the
banks are focused on last line of defense for
recovery and thus provide avoiding losses. Therefore,
maximum residence time they are generally larger
in size and numbers
Flotation Circuits

Rougher banks can be

large with the number of
cells being 5 or greater
Cleaner banks are
focused on product
grade and thus provide
low residence time.
As such, the number of
cells are lower and the
cells smaller

https://millops.community.uaf.edu/amit-145/amit-145-lesson-5/
 Flotation cell bank
Flotation Circuits

Wills and Finch, 2015

 Froth Washing: The Original Flotation Column Benefit

Flotation machines

https://millops.community.uaf.edu/amit-145/amit-145-lesson-5/
 Tank Cells

Flotation machines

https://millops.community.uaf.edu/amit-145/amit-145-lesson-5/
 Flotation Columns

Flotation machines
❑ Initial column was invented in 1907

❑ Commercial development was minimal

until the 1980’s due to sanding of
particles in the bottom of the cell

❑ The ability to use wash water to remove

entrainment revived the interest in
flotation columns

❑ L/D ratio is also significant for ultrafine

particles

❑ The coal industry is shifting to larger

columns, up to 4.5m diameter and
greater

❑ Types: CoalPro, Microcel, Jameson.

https://millops.community.uaf.edu/amit-145/amit-145-lesson-5/
 CoalPro (CPT) Flotation
Column
Flotation machines
❑ Developed by Cominco
Research and owned by
Eriez Manufacturing

❑ Coarse Bubble Size

Distribution

❑ Good Dispersion w/Sparger

Water

❑ High Aeration Rates

❑ Low Energy Input

❑ Typically Use for Deslime

Circuit

https://millops.community.uaf.edu/amit-145/amit-145-lesson-5/
Flotation machines

https://millops.community.uaf.edu/amit-145/amit-145-lesson-5/
Flotation machines

https://millops.community.uaf.edu/amit-145/amit-145-lesson-5/
 Microcel Column Flotation
Technology
Flotation machines
❑ Developed by Virginia Tech in
the late 1980’s

❑ Licensed by Eriez Manufacturing

❑ Reduced Bubble Size

❑ Tight Bubble Size Distribution

❑ Increased Capacity

❑ Additional Pump

❑ Higher Energy Input

❑ Typically Use for By- Zero

Circuit

https://millops.community.uaf.edu/amit-145/amit-145-lesson-5/
Microcel Bubble Generation

https://millops.community.uaf.edu/amit-145/amit-145-lesson-5/
Flotation machines

https://millops.community.uaf.edu/amit-145/amit-145-lesson-5/
Flotation machines

https://millops.community.uaf.edu/amit-145/amit-145-lesson-5/
 Jameson Cell

Flotation machines
❑ Developed by Dr.
Graeme
Jameson and
owned by MIM
Ltd.

❑ Self-aspirating
system with
froth washing

https://millops.community.uaf.edu/amit-145/amit-145-lesson-5/
Some examples
Some examples
Some examples

EP MIN 300 gpt, Starch 800 gpt, D25 50 gpt Macaúba 300 gpt, Starch 800 gpt, D25 50 gpt
 https://youtu.be/BQGWU5rhUwo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiuymLRB50A
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RATHUQ9j0Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UH1hJnZvNE8
https://youtu.be/XgIiLDaYslk?list=PLTBlcma17JEko4WdaWIgsDXuBVwtUbSHX
https://youtu.be/O__DtblrIFo?list=PLTBlcma17JEko4WdaWIgsDXuBVwtUbSHX
https://youtu.be/nkN7Iq3roIw?list=PLTBlcma17JEko4WdaWIgsDXuBVwtUbSHX
https://youtu.be/XQWg8MlXKE4?list=PLTBlcma17JEko4WdaWIgsDXuBVwtUbSHX
https://youtu.be/Bn6GBehaY3A?list=PLTBlcma17JEko4WdaWIgsDXuBVwtUbSHX
https://youtu.be/8U6s_w5Zvzk?list=PLTBlcma17JEko4WdaWIgsDXuBVwtUbSHX
https://youtu.be/p44ew5F8sMc
Links to the videos

https://youtu.be/K7RqbJSBIS0?list=PLTBlcma17JEko4WdaWIgsDXuBVwtUbSHX
https://youtu.be/N36YL88XUN0?list=PLTBlcma17JEko4WdaWIgsDXuBVwtUbSHX
https://youtu.be/cQDw_Lt1uuE?list=PLTBlcma17JEko4WdaWIgsDXuBVwtUbSHX
https://youtu.be/4ClzckGVpQk?list=PLTBlcma17JEko4WdaWIgsDXuBVwtUbSHX
https://youtu.be/PCQHwZHSS5A?list=PLTBlcma17JEko4WdaWIgsDXuBVwtUbSHX
https://youtu.be/tJpFGolF-QQ?list=PLTBlcma17JEko4WdaWIgsDXuBVwtUbSHX
https://youtu.be/aiykOaniJWg?list=PLTBlcma17JEko4WdaWIgsDXuBVwtUbSHX
https://youtu.be/0zJcLU5aLSc?list=PLTBlcma17JEko4WdaWIgsDXuBVwtUbSHX
https://youtu.be/UlttrtKXeC8?list=PLTBlcma17JEko4WdaWIgsDXuBVwtUbSHX
 https://youtu.be/yO3ZyzbKP1I?list=PLTBlcma17JEko4WdaWIgsDXuBVwtUbSHX
https://youtu.be/HCqYj57_g0k?list=PLTBlcma17JEko4WdaWIgsDXuBVwtUbSHX
https://youtu.be/0gtRV3HIZc8?list=PLTBlcma17JEko4WdaWIgsDXuBVwtUbSHX
Links to the videos