Flotation chemistry of nonsulfide minerals

The dimensions of nonsulfide flotation technology extend in many different directions, as might be expected from the diversity of t he mineral classes, which include soluble salt minerals (potash, borax, and trona), semi-soluble salt minerals (phosphate minerals, fluorite, calcite, and barite), insoluble oxides/silicate minerals (iron oxide minerals, rutile, mica, quartz, and feldspar), and energy minerals (coal and oil sands). As a consequence, some flotation separations are accomplished from saturated brine, while other separations are achieved in solutions of rather low ionic strength.