Froth flotation is a mineral separation technique predicated on the differential wetting properties between sulfide ore particles and gangue matter in an aqueous environment. The core mechanism involves preferential attachment of hydrophobic mineral phases to air bubbles introduced via agitation, facilitating their rise as froth while hydrophilic impurities remain suspended or settle. This process relies fundamentally on surface chemistry principles, specifically the interaction between collectors like pine oil and mineral surfaces, within the domain of extractive metallurgy.
Prerequisite chain context: requires Density Differentiation between Solids and Liquids.