WHAT is the FROTH FLOTATION PROCESS?

This method employs a mixture of water and pine oil which is made to froth in a tank to separate sulphide ores. The differences in the wetting properties of the ore and gangue particles separate them.

A mixture of water, pine oil, detergent and powdered ore is first taken in a tank. A blast of compressed air is blown through the pipe of a rotating agitator to produce froth. The sulphide ore particles are wetted and coated by pine oil and rise up along with the froth (froth being lighter). The gangue particles wetted by water sink to the bottom of the tank (water being heavier). Sulphide being more electronegative attracts the covalent oil molecules. The gangue being less electronegative is attracted by the water. The froth containing the sulphide ore is transferred to another container, washed, and dried.