NASACO FROTHERS

• Founded in 1990 in UK
• Focuses on the flotation process
• Specialized and custom made formulations
• Manufacturing plants – Germany, South Africa, USA, China, Mexico

Froth Flotation

• physico-chemical method of concentrating
• involves use of chemicals to create favorable conditions for attachment of mineral particles  to air bubbles
• air bubbles carry the mineral particles to a stable froth

Scientific Basis

• affinity of hydrophobic solid surfaces for gas bubbles
• hydrophobicity
• gas bubble surfaces are naturally hydrophobic
• gas bubbles also lighter than water by orders of magnitude
• bubble-solid aggregate is also lighter than water - - buoyancy

Process

• few solids are naturally hydrophobic
• most solids need chemical treatment to make them hydrophobic
• a froth or foam is required to trap bubble-particle aggregates
• hydrophillic solids are wetted by water and therefore do not attach to air bubbles