Aerosol Collector Addition in Flotation – Pathways to Improvement Through Understanding of the Mechanisms

This study explores the mechanisms involved in the addition of aerosol collectors during the flotation of coarse particles by examining the interplay between hydrodynamic and thermodynamic factors. Ore dilution was employed to manipulate the probability of particle-bubble collisions, allowing for a comparison of its effects on both conventional pre-conditioning and aerosol collector addition methods. Statistical analyses of copper recovery data indicated that the addition of aerosol collectors operates through a distinct mechanism in which the efficiency of bubble-particle collision directly influences collector adsorption and the subsequent attachment of particles. These findings reveal that aerosol collector addition uniquely integrates favorable hydrodynamics with enhanced thermodynamics within a single mechanism. The results suggest that flotation performance could be further improved by optimizing the efficiency of particle-bubble collisions, with potential applications extending beyond the processing of coarse particles to the recovery of fine particles through strategic implementation in turbulent environments.