Role of nanobubbles on the fine lepidolite flotation with mixed cationic/anionic collector

Nanobubbles (NBs) have recently been used for fine particle flotation , and mixed cationic/anionic collectors have shown powerful effects in flotation of lepidolite. In this paper, the flotation tests, nano particle size analyses, contact angle tests, settling tests and high-speed camera observation was used to study the interaction between NBs and fine lepidolite particles with mixed cationic/anionic collectors. The results showed that the concentration of surface NBs and the presence of bulk NBs play an indispensable role in the promotion of lepidolite flotation by NBs. The size of NBs was larger near the isoelectric point and NBs were more stable by co-interaction with the mixed cationic/anionic collectors. The mechanism of the influence of NBs on the surface hydrophobicity of lepidolite was proposed, and the unstable effect of NBs on the flotation of fine-grained lepidolite was explained.