A microflotation system comprises a flotation tank with a dispersion water feed line in which an expansion valve arrangement is disposed. An adjusting apparatus is configured to adjust a flow rate of the expansion valve arrangement and an electronic control is connected to the adjusting apparatus. A measuring apparatus is disposed downstream from the expansion valve arrangement for detecting a size distribution of gas bubbles and the electronic control is configured to set the flow rate depending on a size distribution detected with the measuring apparatus.

An apparatus for removing mineral particles from loaded engineered collection media includes one or more solvents with sufficiently low surface tension. The engineered collection media are made of a synthetic material and have a surface coated with a hydrophobic material to provide a chemical bond between the mineral particles and the surface. The solvents together with a releasing mechanism are arranged to disrupt the chemical bond. Preferably, a surfactant or a nonionic surfactant is also added to the solvents.

A family of mining collectors and surfactants that uses alkoxylates allows for the easy adjustment of solubility and molecular weight useful because anionic and cationic mineral collectors require such varying degrees of solubility and molecular weight. The family of the present invention allows for the optimization of both parameters and an increase in collector efficiency.

A process for treating and dewatering tailings comprising fine clay minerals, fine rock-forming minerals and water is provided, comprising treating the tailings with a sufficient amount of a collector to modify the surface properties of both the fine clays and rock-forming minerals; subjecting the treated tailings to froth flotation to form a fine clays and rock-forming minerals froth layer; and recovering the froth layer and subjecting it to dewatering.

A process for treating and dewatering tailings comprising fine clay minerals, fine rock-forming minerals and water is provided, comprising treating the tailings with a sufficient amount of a collector to modify the surface properties of both the fine clays and rock-forming minerals; subjecting the treated tailings to froth flotation to form a fine clays and rock-forming minerals froth layer; and recovering the froth layer and subjecting it to dewatering.

The invention relates to a flotation agent for lithium or phosphate ore, comprising at least one fatty acid and at least one 1-alkyl-5-oxopyrrolidine-3-carboxylic acid or 1-alkenyl-5-oxopyrrolidine-3-carboxylic acid or a mixture thereof of the formula (1)

##STR00001##

wherein R is a C.sub.7 to C.sub.21 alkyl or alkenyl group, wherein the amount of fatty acid is from 70 to 99 wt.-%, and wherein the amount of the 1-alkyl-5-oxopyrrolidine-3-carboxylic acid or 1-alkenyl-5-oxopyrrolidine-3-carboxylic acid of the formula (I) is from 1 to 30 wt.-%.

The invention relates to a flotation agent for lithium or phosphate ore, comprising at least one fatty acid and at least one 1-alkyl-5-oxopyrrolidine-3-carboxylic acid or 1-alkenyl-5-oxopyrrolidine-3-carboxylic acid or a mixture thereof of the formula (1)

##STR00001##

wherein R is a C.sub.7 to C.sub.21 alkyl or alkenyl group, wherein the amount of fatty acid is from 70 to 99 wt.-%, and wherein the amount of the 1-alkyl-5-oxopyrrolidine-3-carboxylic acid or 1-alkenyl-5-oxopyrrolidine-3-carboxylic acid of the formula (I) is from 1 to 30 wt.-%.

The present invention relates to a process for treating non-sulfidic ores with a collector composition containing a primary and a secondary collector, wherein the primary collector is selected from the group of amphoteric and anionic surface active compounds and the secondary collector is an ethoxylated fatty acid wherein the average degree of ethoxylation is higher than 0 and less than 2, to collector compositions suitable for use in the above process, and to pulp comprising such collector compositions.

The present invention relates to a process for treating non-sulfidic ores with a collector composition containing a primary and a secondary collector, wherein the primary collector is selected from the group of amphoteric and anionic surface active compounds and the secondary collector is an ethoxylated fatty acid wherein the average degree of ethoxylation is higher than 0 and less than 2, to collector compositions suitable for use in the above process, and to pulp comprising such collector compositions.

The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a concentrate enriched in a phosphate mineral content from an ore, which contains a phosphate mineral and a non-phosphate mineral, by a flotation, which method comprises the step of adding a surfactant system comprising (A) a fatty acid, (B) a blend of ethoxylated and non-ethoxylated alcohols, which is obtainable by blending (i) a reaction product of a first C.sub.12-C.sub.16 aliphatic alcohol having an average degree of branching of 1.9 to 3.5 and 10 to 20 equivalents of ethylene oxide, and (ii) a second C.sub.12-C.sub.16 aliphatic alcohol having an average degree of branching of 1.9 to 3.5, wherein the amount of (i) is 80 to 95 wt. % and the amount of (ii) is 5 to 20 wt. % and wt. % is based on the overall weight of the mixture of ethoxylated and non-ethoxylated alcohols, to a prepared aqueous pulp of the ore and optionally one or more flotation auxiliaries to obtain an aqueous mixture. Furthermore, a use of the surfactant system as flotation collector is disclosed.