To investigate the mechanisms of how oily bubbles help enhance bitumen flotation recovery from poor processing ores, dynamic contact angle of air/oily bubble on bitumen surface and induction time of bitumen-air/oily bubble attachment in water solution were measured. Oily bubbles showed a marginal effect on contact angle values compared to air bubbles. However, the spreading of oily bubbles on a bitumen surface was found to be much faster than that of air bubbles. The induction time for bubble-bitumen attachment in the process water from poor processing ores was found to be much shorter for oily bubbles than for air bubbles. It is attributed to the lower energy barrier for oily bubbles to attach to bitumen and reduced bitumen viscosity in the vicinity of the bitumen-bubble contact area. The measured induction time correlates well with bitumen flotation recovery.
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