The Scientific Basis Of Flotation

K.J.Ives Professor of Public Health Engineering University College London Industrial application of the use of bubbles to float fine particles in water began before the beginning of this century, in the field of mineral processing. Such bubble flotation was applied very little outside mineral processing, until about 1960 when the dissolved air process, which has already had some success in the pulp and paper industry, was applied to water and wastewater treatment. The subsequent two decades saw not only a growth development for water and wastewater treatment, but also a growing cognisance of the similarities that existed with mineral processing flotation. Therefore the time seemed ripe in 1982 for a joint meeting between experts in these two major fields of flotation to put together the Scientific Basis of Flotation in the form of a NATO Advanced Study Institute. Attended by about 60 specialists, mainly post doctoral, from 17 countries, this Study Institute in residence for two weeks in Christ's College, Cambridge (UK) heard presentations from several international experts, principally the 8 co-authors of this book. The integration of the various scientific disciplines of physics, physical chemistry, colloid science, hydrodynamics and process engineering showed where the common basiS, and occasional important differences, of flotation could be applied to mineral processing, water and wastewater treatment, and indeed some other process industries (for example: pharmaceuticals, and food manufacture).

The past 30 years have seen the emergence of a growing desire worldwide that positive actions be taken to restore and protect the environment from the degrading effects of all forms of pollution – air, water, soil, and noise. Since pollution is a direct or indirect consequence of waste, the seemingly idealistic demand for “zero discharge” can be construed as an unreal- tic demand for zero waste. However, as long as waste continues to exist, we can only attempt to abate the subsequent pollution by converting it to a less noxious form. Three major questions usually arise when a particular type of pollution has been identi?ed: (1) How serious is the pollution? (2) Is the technology to abate it available? and (3) Do the costs of abatement justify the degree of abatement achieved? This book is one of the volumes of the Handbook of Environmental Engineering series. The principal intention of this series is to help readers formulate answers to the last two questions above. The traditional approach of applying tried-and-true solutions to speci?c pollution p- blems has been a major contributing factor to the success of environmental engineering and has accounted in large measure for the establishment of a “methodology of pollution control. ” However, the realization of the ever-increasing complexity and interrelated nature of current environmental problems renders it imperative that intelligent planning of pollution abatement systems be undertaken.

Extractive Metallurgy of Molybdenum provides an up-to-date, comprehensive account of the extraction and process metallurgy fields of molybdenum. The book covers the history of metallurgy of molybdenum from its beginnings to the present day. Topics discussed include molybdenum properties and applications, pyrometallurgy of molybdenum, hydrometallurgy of molybdenum, electrometallurgy of molybdenum, and a survey of molybdenum resources and processing. The book will be a useful reference for metallurgists, materials scientists, researchers, and students. It will also be an indispensable guide for world producers, processors, and traders of molybdenum.

The past 30 years have seen the emergence of a growing desire worldwide that positive actions be taken to restore and protect the environment from the degrading effects of all forms of pollution – air, water, soil, and noise. Since pollution is a direct or indirect consequence of waste, the seemingly idealistic demand for “zero discharge” can be construed as an unreal- tic demand for zero waste. However, as long as waste continues to exist, we can only attempt to abate the subsequent pollution by converting it to a less noxious form. Three major questions usually arise when a particular type of pollution has been identi?ed: (1) How serious is the pollution? (2) Is the technology to abate it available? and (3) Do the costs of abatement justify the degree of abatement achieved? This book is one of the volumes of the Handbook of Environmental Engineering series. The principal intention of this series is to help readers formulate answers to the last two questions above. The traditional approach of applying tried-and-true solutions to speci?c pollution p- blems has been a major contributing factor to the success of environmental engineering and has accounted in large measure for the establishment of a “methodology of pollution control. ” However, the realization of the ever-increasing complexity and interrelated nature of current environmental problems renders it imperative that intelligent planning of pollution abatement systems be undertaken.

This volume contains the proceedings of an international symposium organised by the Metallurgical Society of the Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. The aims of the symposium were to discuss fundamental and practical aspects of the technology for the production of fine inorganic particles for the metals, industrial minerals and advanced ceramics sectors, to highlight particle characterization methods and developments, and to review major advances in the processing and extractive metallurgy of finely-sized minerals. 96 conference papers by authors from 19 countries addressed such topics as particle morphology and size analysis, physical and chemical methods for producing fine particles, processing of minerals using gravity, magnetic and electrostatic separation, flotation and flocculation, phase separation involving fine particles, and the hydrometallurgy and pyroprocessing of fine particles. This book will be of interest to mineral processing scientists and engineers, ceramicists, extractive metallurgists and chemical engineers, who are faced with the increasing significance of inorganic fine particles either as valuable products or as materials to be treated in mineral processing systems.

This is a major new handbook that covers hundreds of subjects that cross numerous industry sectors; however, the handbook is heavily slanted to oil and gas environmental management, control and pollution prevention and energy efficient practices. Multi-media pollution technologies are covered : air, water, solid waste, energy. Students, technicians, practicing engineers, environmental engineers, environmental managers, chemical engineers, petroleum engineers, and environmental attorneys are all professionals who will benefit from this major new reference source. The handbook is organized in three parts. Part A provides an extensive compilation of abbreviations and concise glossary of pollution control and engineering terminology. More than 400 terms are defined. The section is intended to provide a simple look-up guide to confusing terminology used in the regulatory field, as well as industry jargon. Cross referencing between related definitions and acronyms are provided to assist the user. Part B provides physical properties and chemical safety information. This part is not intended to be exhaustive; however it does provide supplemental information that is useful to a number of the subject entries covered in the main body of the handbook. Part C is the Macropedia of Subjects. The part is organized as alphabetical subject entries for a wide range of pollution controls, technologies, pollution prevention practices and tools, computational methods for preparing emission estimates and emission inventories and much more. More than 100 articles have been prepared by the author, providing a concise overview of each subject, supplemented by sample calculation methods and examples where appropriate, and references. Subjects included are organized and presented in a macropedia format to assist a user in gaining an overview of the subject, guidance on performing certain calculations or estimates as in cases pertinent to preliminary sizing and selection of pollution controls or in preparing emissions inventories for reporting purposes, and recommended references materials and web sites for more in-depth information, data or computational tools. Each subject entry provides a working overview of the technology, practice, piece of equipment, regulation, or other relevant issue as it pertains to pollution control and management. Cross referencing between related subjects is included to assist the reader to gain as much of a practical level of knowledge.

The present book is the outcome of an Advanced Study Institute meeting, which was held in Kallithea, Chalkidiki, in Northern Greece, from 12-25 May 1991 and attended by 69 delegates from 18 countries. The Institute brought together scientists, engineers and technologists currently involved in basic and applied research on the different aspects of flotation. The Institute covered subjects in four major areas of flotation: a) fundamentals; b) chemical technology aspects; c) mineral processing; and d) water and wastewater treatment. Apart from the papers reproduced in this volume, several short oral communications were also presented. Participants also had the opportunity to visit the Hellenic Chemical Products & Fertilizers Co. Ltd. mixed sulphides plant, in Chalkidiki. Conference participants, whose interest and research projects are in this broad field of science and engineering, provided a well-informed discussion of the problems encountered, as well as possible directions of future technological developments. It is hoped that this book is not only a good record of the presentations made (formal and informal), analyzing the state-of-the-art in flotation, but will also be helpful for students, scientists and technologists working in the fields of separation processes and in particular mineral processing and wastewater engineering. All the invited speakers and the participants made this summer school possible, worthwhile and enjoyable. The sponsorship by the NATO Scientific Affairs Division is gratefully ack nowledged. The Editors would like to thank the members of the Organizing Committee, Dr. B.A.