The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1920-08-20
Fortunes Extracted Daily From
Froth by Treatment Of Low
Grade Ores.
GREAT SAVING OF COPPER
knowledge Of colIold and Organic
Chemistry Necessary for the Flo.
tation MilIman--Skiilful
Work for a Profit.

New York.-Blllions are being added
work In the soap bubble. The flotntion
method Of mineral separation, by
which every day I'm the year fortunes
) are literally extracted frem froth, Is
g. now exercising so powerful mi influ-
ence on mining operations III this and
other countries that, according to- Co
lumbIa university authorities, the tn
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
dergolng considerable expansion.
According to both Dean George Il.
Pegram OF the Columbia School of
Mines. Engineering and Chemistry. and
Arthur f. TagGart, professor of ore
dressing, the advent OF fotation has
worked revolution in mining meth
DDS.
"The word bubble used In connec-
tlon with mining properties formerly
referred 10 kind Of financial manage
ment which could hardly be tolerated
I'm these Cry and sober days, but In the
last few years bubbles have taken on a
new and more important significance
for the larger part of the mining in
col n
important problem OF the mining en-
gineers is usually how 10 concentrate
the mineral In low-grade ore to such
nm extent that the working of the ore
will he profitable. A process has been
developed which applies particularly
10 all sulphde 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,
hles Of mir attaching themselves to the
particles Of mineral, finely ground and
mixed with water.
Separate Sand and Froth.
'Thc bubbles with the sulphde min
eral then rise to the top as thick
froth, while the sand and other worth
less material sink to the bottom of the
vessel. This flotatlon 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
mir 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 l pei
cent by weight Of the amount of min
eral that Is in the ore.
"hfter the proper reagent has beer
added TO the water and the fnel!
crushed ore, air Is introduced into II
either by heating It In with stirrel
or by forcing It in through fine pores
I'm 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 go
Ing to the top In bubbles, forming c
thick froth, which is collected by suit
able arrangements, while the sand and
other cangue material settles quite
clean Of any valuable mineral 10 tht
bottom Of the vessel.
"Of course the process IL made Il
run continuously, and in some mills a,
n
Is separated each day. Altogether II
1918 there were 60000,000 tons Of or,
treated by the flotatlon process.
"lt may truly be said that the future