The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1920-10-27
BUBBLE FORCE
MAKES BILLIONS
Fortunes Extracted Daily From
Froth by Treatment Of Low
Grade Ores.
GREAT SAVING OF COPPER
knowledge Of coIloid and Organic
Chemistry Necessary for the Flo
tation MIIman-SkilIful
Work for a Profit.

Work for Profit.
New YOrk.-Bilions are being added
to the worlds wealth by the forces at
work in the soap bubble. The tiotation
method Of mineral separation, by
which every day in the year fortunes
are literally extracted from froth. Is
now exercising so powerful an intir
ence on mining operations In this and
other countries that, according to Co
lumbla university authorities, the flu
.ure OF copper production, and there-
fore of the electrical industry, largely
hinges on bubbles.
Tie 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 un-
dergolng 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 fiotation has
worked revolution in mining meth
DDS
"The word hubble used in cOnnec-
tion with mining properties formerly
referred to Il 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 q
new and more important significance
for tie larger part of the mining in
dustry." said Dean Pegram. "rhe most
important problem of the mining en-
gneer% is usually how to concentrate
the mineral in low-grade ore to such
an extent that the working of the ore
wih he profitable. A process has been
developed which applies particularly
% all suIphide ores, and these include
most OF the copper, zinc and lead ores,
In which the ores may be beautifully
Concentrated hy the action of fine huh
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 Willie the sand and other worth
less material sink to the bottom Of the
vessel. This notation 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
,faI,
handled without actual loss.
1.-THE whole secret of the bubbles Of
afr gathering up the mineral particles
md leaving the sand depends upon
freating the finely crushed ore in water
With one of various chemical sub
stances, among thcm olcic acid and
zine oil. Only n very small amount Of
he oil is necessary. less than per
'ent by weight of flle amount of min
raj that is in The ore
After the proper reagent has heen
'dded to The wafer and the finely
rushed ore. air is introduced into II
'ithcr by heating ii in with a stirrer
n by forcing it in through fine pores
the bottom Of the vessel. or any way
y which TO bring fine bubbles of the
ir into Intimate contact with the fine
articles of the ore The separation is
lalVplously complete. the mineral 90
nc 10 the ton in bubbles forming a
hrk froth, which Is collected hv suit
bic arrangements while the sand and |
her gHngne material settles lutte /
can Of any valuable mineral to the !
ottdm of The vessel
"of cnfIrsp the process Is made 70 |
IN continuously, and in some mills as
uuclt rs 1000 tons Of mineral IN froth
separated each day. Altogether in
01S there were G0O00OO0 tons Of ore
reated lv the lotation process.
onner's Future Depends on Bubbles
at may truly he said that the future
# copper production. and therefore Of
he electrical industry. is very largely
dependent on the same forces that are
It work IN t1e soap bubble"
Professor Taggart declared that the
iemand- for specialists in ore dressing
With expert knowledge Of the design
nd operation Of the Eewildering array
+ machinery now employed has he
ome SO inSStent that school curricna
must he altered TO offer the necessary
preparatory courses
"Ore dressing is an Indispensable
Ink between mining and metalinrgy in
practice in the extraction
Vt metals from the eartl.." said Pro
essor Taggart 1T consists in non
'hemical concentration of the valuable
'art Of an ore into a bulk much
mailer than that of the original ore.
md at The same time rejection as
waste Of me wSrthless portion.
"Entil about fifteen years ago mosl
Mills were small as compared with
'resent-day standards and the ores
we're relatively high grade. The ore
reatment problem was a simple one.
nd as a result The technical as well
S the executive direction of the ore
ressing plant could be and was Incl
entail to The direction With which the
was huli
''rhe services Of "A Specialist In con.
enilTtion were considered unneces. 9
cry. With the development OF tie /,
lrse. low-grade. disseminated copper /,
eroSits. the importance of ore dress. ,
~ took O sudden lump. These depos. :.