Articles - Chemical Science & Engineering Research

Abstract

In this paper, a review of published articles related to nanoparticles applications in mineral flotation has been presented. Nanoparticles have found numerous applications in mineral flotation such as collector, depressant, froth stabilizer as well as modifier. It is evident that nanoparticles can successfully enhance or fully replace novel synthetic chemical surfactants currently in use as additives in flotation of valuable minerals. Nanoparticles that are sufficiently hydrophilic or hydrophobic and colloidally stable in high ionic strength with varying pH solutions are capable of promoting flotation performance. Factors influencing nanoparticles deposition on mineral particles, such as nanoparticle dosage, type, size and conditioning time have significant influence on flotation performance. Mechanisms and key parameters like nanoparticles hydrophobicity, selectivity and nanoparticle-bubble interactions along with the challenges in nanoparticles induced flotation have also been highlighted and discussed. Overall, this review has shown great advances in nanoparticle applications in minerals flotation processes.