Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1920-10-22
Fortunes Extracted Daily From
Froth by Treatment of Low
Grade Ores.
GREAT SAVING OF COPPER
knowledge Of ColIoid and Organic
Chemistry Necessary for the Flo
tation MilIman-SkilIfuI
Work for a Profit.

New York-Billions are being added
to the worlds wealth by the forces at
work in the soap bubble. The flotation
method of mineral separation, By
which every day In the year fortunes
are literally extracted from froth, is
now exercising SO powerful an influ-
ence on mining operations In this and
other countries that, according to Co
lumbia university authorities, the fu-
ture Of copper production. and there
fore Of the electrical industry, largely
hinges on bubbles.
The process of ore concentration has
always been considered important in
mining engineering schools and the flo
tation process Is leading factor In
laboratory practice at Columbia. where
the ore dressing laboratory is now I'M
dergoing considerable expansion.
According to both Dean George B.
Pegram OF the Columbia School of
Mines, Engineering and Chemistry. and
Arthur F. Taggart, professor Of ore
dressing, the advent Of fotatiOn has
worked a revolution in mining meth
DDS.
'4The word bubble used in connec-
ton with mining properties formerly
referred to kind of financial manage
ment which could hardly be tolerated
In these dry and sober days, but in the
last few years bubbles have taken on a
new and more important significance
fer the larger part of the mining in
dustry," said Dean Pegram. 1.-THE most
important problem Of the mining en-
gineers is usually how to concentrate
the mineral in lOw-grade ore to such
an extent that the working Of the ore
will be profitable. A process has been
developed which applies particularly
to all sulphide ores, and these include
most Of the copper, zinc and lead ores,
In which the ores may be beautifully
concentrated by the action Of fine bub-
bles of air attaching themselves to the
particles of mineral, finely ground and
mixed with water.
Separate Sand and Froth.
"The bubbles with the sulphide min
eral then rise to the top as a thick
froth, while the sand and other worth
less material sink to the bottom Of the
vessel. This flOtation process has not
only made much more profitable the
working of the better grade of copper.
zinc and lead ore, but has also made
very profitable the working of ores
which previously could not have been
handled without actual loss.
"The whole secret of the bubbles of
air gathering up the mineral particles
and leaving the sand depends upon
treating the finely crushed ore in water
with one Of various chemical sub
stances, among them oleic acid and
pine oil. Only very small amount of
the oil Is necessary, less than per
cent by weight Of the amount of min.
eral that is in the ore
After the proper reagent has been
ADDED to the water and the finely
crushed ore, air is introduced into II
either by heating It In with a stirref
or by forcing It in through fine pores
In the bottom of the vessel. or any WAY
In which to bring fine bubbles of the
air Into intimate contact with the fine
particles of the ore. The separation Is
marvelously complete. the mineral 60
ing to the top in bubbles, forming
thick froth, which is collected by suit
able arrangements. while the sand and
other gangue material settles quite
clean Of any valuable mineral to the
bottom OF the vessel.
OF course tile process Is made to
run continuously. and in some mills as
much as 1000 tons Of mineral In froth
Is separated each day. Altogether in
1918 there were 100000 tons of ore
treated by the fiotation process.
ut may truly be said that the future