The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1920-08-04
BILLIONS MADE
THROUGH WORK
E OF SOAP BUBBLE
Fortunes Extracted from
Froth BY Method of
Treating Ores

NEW YORK. Aug. l.-Bliions are
being added 20 the worlds wealth by
che forces at work In the soap bubble.
The ~flotation method OF mineral sep
n%ratlon. by which every day in tho
year fortunes are literally extracted
from the froth IL now exercising SO
powerful an influence on mining OPP
eratiops IN this and other countries
that. according 10 Columbia Univer-
sity authorities, the future OF copper
production. and therefore Of the cleo
trlcal industry. largely hinges on
bubbles.
The process of ore condemnation
has always been considered import
ant in mIuing engineering schools
and the f~lokatlon process Is a leading
factor In laboratory practice at Col
umbla. where the ore dressing lab
orntory Is now undergoing consider
able expansion
According to both Dean George b.
Pcgram OF the Columbia School OF
Mines, engineering and chemistry,
and Arthur Il. Taggart. professor OF
ore dressing, the advent Of flotation
has worked u revolution in mining
methods.
''The word bubble used in con-
nection with mining properties form
erly referred to a kind of financial
Hhhhhtthitn NnlCn tOnlu HbHuiN w
tolerated in these dry and sober days,
but In the last few years bubbles have
taken On a new and more important
Significance Tor the larger part OF the
mining Industry" said Dean Pegram.
The most important problem OF the
mining engineers Is usually how to
Concentrate the mineral In iow-grade
ore to such an extent that the work.
Ing OF the ore viii be profitable. A
AHAaAUa laa E.-- III
applies particularly TO all sulphide
ores, and these include most OF the
copper. zinc and lead ores. in which
the ores may be beautiruily concen-
tratcd by the action of fine bubbles
" air attching themselves to the par
tlclcs Of mineral. finely ground and
mixed with water.
Separate Sand and Froth.
FThe bubbles with the sulphlde
mineral then rise to the top as a
dick froth, while the sand and other
worthless material sink to the bottom
Of the vessel. This flotatlon process
has not only made much moro pro-
fltable 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 par
ticles and leaving tho sand depends
upon treating the nnely crushed ore
In water with one OF various chem
zeal Substances. among them olelc
acid and pine oil. Only a very small
amount of uii Is necessary, less than
one per sent by weight OF the amount
OF mineral that !" IN the ore.
ga ffor tho nrnnor ,.onwapt ha, haa.,
added to the wafer and the finely
crushed ore. air is introduced into
Il either by heating IL In with n stir
rer or b. forcing II In through fine
pores In the bottom OF the vessel or
any way In which to bring fine bulb
blcs II air n intimate contact with
the fine particles OF the ore. The
separation is marvelously complete,
the mineral going to the top IN bulb
bles, forming a thick froth, which
Is collected by suitable arrangements.
while the sand and other gnngue ma
tcrial settles quite clean of any val
liable mineral TO the bottom of the
vessel.
"Of course. the process is made to
u continuously, and IN some mills
as much as 1000 tons Of mineral in
froth Is separated each day. Alto
gethcr In 1918 there were go. 900, 900
tons Of ore treated by the flotation
process.
Copper's Future Depends on Bubbles
at may truly be said that the flu
ture OF copper production and there
fore OF the electrical industry. Is very
largely dependent on the anne forces
that are at work In the soap bubble
Professor Taggert declared hat the
demand for specialists In ore dress
Ing with expert knowledge or the de-
sign and operation OF the bewlldering
array OF machinery now employed
has become so inslstent that school
curricula must be altered to offer the
necessary preparatory courses.