The flotation process gained industrial use for the first time in Australia in 1909. In 1911, the USA activated the first industrial plant to recover sphalerite from fine-grained pulp with a size of 92 percent -0.15 mm In subsequent years, ever larger amounts of different mineral raw material are processed by flotation beneficiation. Today, about 2 billions of different mineral raw material are processed world-wide by froth flotation. Flotation remains the basic beneficiation process for the vast majority of mineral raw materials, including non-ferrous metal ores. During the period from 1960 through 1980, in the U.S.A. the number of beneficiation plants increased from 202 to 239, while the amount of ore being processed rose from 179.9 to 440.4 million tons. In 1985, a number of enterprises were closed down and some cut back on the amount of ores being processed.
展开▼
