Effect of frother type and operational parameters on nano bubble flotation of quartz coarse particles

In this work, the effects of the types of frother (MIBC, pine oil, and A(65)) and operational parameters (impeller speed and air flow rate) on the flotation of quartz coarse particles was investigated using nano bubbles (NBs). Quartz particles of the size of -425+106 tm and three types of frother were used for the flotation experiments. Also the impeller speed was 600 to 1300 rpm, and the air flow rates were 30 and 60 L/h. In the absence of NBs, the maximum recovery was achieved with the pine oil frother, an impeller speed of 1000 rpm, and an air flow rate of 60 L/h. In the presence of NBs, the maximum recovery was achieved using pine oil at an impeller speed of 900 rpm and an air flow rate of 30 L/h. However, increasing the recovery in the presence of NBs, compared to the absence of NBs for MIBC, was more than the other two frothers, and the recovery using this frother to increase up to 25% but using pine oil, the recovery increased up to 23%. The lowest recovery in the presence of NBs was obtained using A(65). Also the use of NBs increased recovery in all the three fractions compared to the absence of NBs but the presence of NBs increased the recovery of particles with size of -212+106 tm more than the particle size in the ranges of 300+212 and -425+300 mu m.