Mineral Processing Applications

Many of the applications of colloid and interface science to the mining and mineral processing industry can be found in the hydrotransport, flotation and tailings processes. Although suspensions feature prominently in each of these, a range of emulsions, foams, suspensions and aerosols can be found in this industry. Some examples are given in Table 10.1. 

---

Descriptions and discussions of gravity sedimentation in textbooks (and this one is no exception) are usually dominated by water treatment and mineral processing applications. One must not lose sight, however, of the many chemical, pharmaceutical, nuclear, petrochemical or petroleum applications where gravity settling is used to resolve emulsions or to separate other liquid-liquid dispersions. As the density difference in such cases is nearly always low, the benefits of coalescence are usually sought. The present book, as per its title, is concerned primarily with solid-liquid systems and a reader interested in separation of liquid-liquid dispersions is referred to an excellent review of such applications (and of electrostatic coalescence)... 

Chapter 10 Rotary Kiln Minerals Process Applications... 

---