Evaluation of Critical Parameters for Wettability-Based Processes in Mineral Processing

Abstract

This paper presents an evaluation of critical parameters for wettability-based processes such as flotation, shear flocculation, oil agglomeration and liquid-liquid extraction in mineral processing. 'The critical surface tension of wetting ( c )' value of minerals has crucial importance in these processes. Also, 'the critical solution surface tension for oil agglomeration ( c-a )' and 'the critical solution surface tension for liquidliquid extraction ( c-e )' parameters, which are slightly higher than the  c value of the mineral, exist for achieving the oil agglomeration and liquidliquid extraction techniques. In the case of three-phase systems composed of solid, liquid/medium and oil such as oil agglomeration and liquidliquid extraction techniques, there is a second critical parameter based on the oilliquid interfacial tension (γ OL ) which are 'the critical oilliquid interfacial tension for oil agglomeration, γ cOLa ' and 'the critical oilliquid interfacial tension for liquidliquid extraction, γ cOLe ', respectively.