The flotation process is based on the different surface wettability of the materials. In principle, flotation works very similarly to a sedimentation process, where the density properties of the materials relative to the density properties of the medium in which they are placed lie at the base of the separation. Sometimes a centrifugal field is applied to enhance the separation. Flotation works in a different way because in the liquid medium (usually water), "carriers" are introduced, i.e. air bubbles, which are responsible for floating hydrophobic particles that adhere to the bubbles relative to the sinking hydrophilic particles.

The behavior of the ore during flotation depends not only on the natural floatability (hydrophobicity) of the ore, but also on the floatability obtained using flotation reagents. The general classification of flotation reagents is shown below

Flotation collectors

1. Xanthate - PAX, PBX,, SIPX, SIBX, etc.

2. Air flotation - dithiophosphate 25s, diisobutyl/dibutyl sodium dithiophosphate, dibutyl ammonium dithiophosphate, etc.

3. Isopropyl ethyl thiocarbamate/isopropyl ethyl thiocarbamate (Z200/IPETC), isobutyl ethyl thiocarbamate foamer

4. Methyl isobutyl methanol

5. New foaming agent

6. Pine oil (polymer flocculant)

7. Polyacrylamide (activator)

8.Lead nitrate

9. Copper sulfate (inhibitor)

10.Sodium thioglycolate

11.Sodium metabisulfite/metabisulfite

12.Sodium sulfite

13.Sodium cyanide

14.Zinc Sulfate

15.Sodium Sulfide

16.Sodium hydrosulfide (acid-base regulator)

17.Alkali caustic soda

18.Soda ash water treatment

19.Activated carbon

20.Calcium hypochlorite

21.Iron sulfate

22.Thiourea