Ore particles (amber = feldspar, grey = iron-bearing mica/quartz gangue) are fed into the pulp at the top-left and fall under gravity. Bubbles rise from the sparger at the bottom. A collision between an unattached particle and a bubble attaches it — and lifts it into the froth — with probability driven by real HF-activated cationic flotation chemistry, not scripted animation:
θ(dose) = K·dose / (1 + K·dose) (Langmuir amine-collector isotherm)
φ(pH) = exp(−(pH − 2.6)² / (2·1.1²)) (HF-activation window: feldspar's
surface is only activated for the
amine collector in a narrow acidic
pH band; outside it, selectivity
collapses)
size(d) = exp(−(d − 95)² / (2·55²)) (95 µm optimum liberation size)
f_feld = θ · φ(pH) · size(d) · (0.55 + 0.45·air)
f_gangue = 0.10·air + max(0, 2.2 − pH)·0.05
(over-acidifying below pH≈2.2 starts
mechanically floating mica too)
P_attach = f · dt (rolled per bubble–particle encounter)
Attached particles ride bubbles into the froth zone, drain briefly, then report to the concentrate launder on the right; unattached particles sink to the tailings. Recovery, grade and mass pull below are a real running mass balance over every particle simulated — not a canned curve. Feldspar itself carries almost no iron (Fe₂O₃ ≈ 0.05%), while the mica/iron-oxide gangue is iron-rich (Fe₂O₃ ≈ 4.2%), so the concentrate's Fe₂O₃% is exactly the industrial glass/ceramic-grade spec this process is run to hit — push the pH outside its activation window or over-aerate the cell and Fe₂O₃ climbs back up as gangue reports by entrainment.
- Grade (Fe₂O₃) — lower is better here: ceramic/glass-grade feldspar needs Fe₂O₃ below roughly 0.1%.
- pH window — the defining lever of this process: too alkaline and the collector never adsorbs on feldspar; too acidic and mica starts floating too.