The separation of minerals by flotation takes place in a flotation cell. It is important to understand that the process of separation is very selective and it is regulated by the wettability of the surface which is controlled through the addition of chemical reagents. Collectors are organic molecules that react with the mineral surface to make the surface hydrophobic. Activators and depressants on the other hand promote or delay the absorption of the collector to the mineral surface.

The frother is also added to the slurry as a reagent. It is known to have heteropolar organic molecules but unlike collectors, they absorb at the air slum interface. They are used to stabilize air bubbles and the froth phase. Another important class of reagents is PH modifiers. They are used to change the PH of the slurry for which mineral and surfactants are sensitive.

Froth flotation is a method that is being used widely in the mining industry in the processing of minerals. In this process, minerals of economic value are separated from worthless rocky materials or other materials that have some degree of economic value by forcing them to gather on the outer surface of a froth layer. Those minerals that are separable using this technique include both sulfide and nonsulfide minerals and also some native metals such as iron. Frothing is based on the ability of certain chemicals contained in the mineral to create some modified properties of the surface of the minerals.

While carrying out this process, minerals are crushed and ground to a fine size. This ensures the individual mineral particles are separated. Crushing is carried out in the water and a result in a slurry. The resulting pulp is then processed in a flotation cell. The ability of a material to float in this process depends on its surface properties.

Prepare a stock solution of 1x10-2 M concentration of dodecylamine in distilled water.&nbsp.

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