Colloidal science of flotation / Коллоидная наука о флотации

Froth flotation is an outstanding example of applied interfacial and colloidal science. It has roots in the nineteenth century discoveries concerning the separation and concentration of valuable minerals from ores, and is considered as one of the most important achievements of the twentieth century, which has significantly contributed to the vast expansion of the raw material industry. Efforts to understand the mechanisms governing flotation led to the research into the wetting and dewetting statics and dynamics, and the intervening free and wetting liquid films as early as the 1930s. Surface forces operating across the films were also appreciated at that time. These efforts have provided stimuli for advances in the theory of interparticle forces with the development of several sophisticated experimental techniques <...>