## 1 Introduction
Kaolinite is a non-swelling clay with the general composition Al\({}_{2}\)Si\({}_{2}\)O\({}_{5}\)(OH)\({}_{4}\), which has features that lie in the prevalence of Al\({}^{3+}\) in its octahedral sites, where isomorphic substitutions occur with Mg\({}^{2+}\), Fe\({}^{3+}\), V\({}^{3+}\), and Ti\({}^{4+}\)[8]. Montmorillonite is a welling clay with the general composition (Na, Ca)\({}_{0.3}\)(Al, Mg)\({}_{2}\)Si\({}_{4}\)O\({}_{10}\)(OH)\({}_{2}\).n(H\({}_{2}\)O), with a nanolayered structure consisting of stacked layers about 1 nm thick [9]. In mineral processing, kaolinite presents numerous challenges, including increased fines during size reduction stages (reaching sizes \(<\) 20 \(\mu\)m), interfering with the flotation process by affecting bubble stability, altering foam rheology, compromising the selectivity of valuable ore recovery, and reducing the quality of recirculated water, particularly at alkaline pH levels (pH \(>\) 8), resulting in the accumulation of suspended particles. On the other hand, due to the small particle size of montmorillonite clay and its high charge density, this clay poses challenges in mineral processing because it tends to remain suspended in solution. In the presence of montmorillonite, it is crucial to adjust the solution ionic strength to avoid significant swelling and eventual disintegration of the clay. Notably, the abundance of Cl\({}^{-}\) ions and multivalent cations (Al\({}^{3+}\), Ca\({}^{2+}\), Mg\({}^{2+}\), K\({}^{+}\), and Na\({}^{+}\)) in the electrolyte notably enhances the natural sedimentation of montmorillonite compared to their performance in pure water due to an increase in the ionic strength. A technique to improve water quality in the presence of clay particles is the application of the electroflotation process. This method employs an electrochemical approach to effectively eliminate suspended particles such as colloids, microalgae, or oil from seawater, often serving as a preliminary treatment step. A widespread use of this method is in municipal water treatment and the removal of microalgae or metal ions from municipal wastewater [10; 11; 12; 13; 14; 15; 16]. Despite these advancements, there remains limited research in the scientific literature related to the use of electroflotation with seawater in the mining industry [17; 18]. Specifically, there is a lack of research on its efficacy in removing ultrafine mineral particlessuch as clays, pyrite [19], chalcopyrite [20,21], hematite [22], and other minerals [23, 24, 25]. The liquid-solid separation by electroflotation involves lifting ultrafine particles of clay to the water surface through microbubbles of H\({}_{2}\) and O\({}_{2}\) generated by the seawater splitting process via cathodic and anodic reactions [17, 26]. The electroflotation process offers several key advantages, notably the absence of chemical additives and the ability to regulate bubble density within the reactor by adjusting the applied potential. The literature reveals that the electroflotation process is successfully applied in the recovery of fine and ultrafine particles compared to other conventional techniques such as froth flotation, ion flotation, solvent sublimation, or absorbing colloid flotation. This effectiveness is mainly attributed to the production of smaller particle sizes, ranging between 5 and 50 \(\upmu\)m depending on the application, uniform bubble-particle formation, and high-frequency production, which can also be manipulated by varying operational variables such as pH, current density, type of electrodes, and others [18, 27]. The application of electroflotation for clay removal in high salinity solutions like seawater (\(\sim\)0.5 M NaCl) has not been deeply studied. Corrosion in saline environments poses a significant threat to the durability and effectiveness of equipment used in electroflotation processes, ultimately impacting operational costs.