Interaction of reactive oily bubble in flotation of bastnaesite

To understand the flotation mechanism of bastnaesite using reactive oily bubble, the interaction between bastnaesite particles and reactive oily bubbles was investigated by electro-kinetic studies, induction time measurements and small-scale flotation experiments. The bastnaesite flotation could be seen as a hetero-coagulation between bastnaesite particles and reactive oily bubbles which was confirmed by the zeta potential distribution and induction time measurements from pH 4.8 to pH 9.0. The small-scale flotation tests were consistent with the hetero-coagulation results, and showed a better flotation of reactive oily bubble than air bubble among all pH range. The interaction force between bastnaesite particles and reactive oily bubbles was evaluated by the classical DLVO theory. It indicated that the attachment could be predicted well by the DLVO theory only in a restricted pH range due to the absence of hydrophilic interaction repulsion force and chemical interaction force.