Inqubo yokuntanta kwegwebu ngokuvamile ichazwa njengesenzo somzimba-samakhemikhali, lapho inhlayiya yamaminerali ikhangwa khona, futhi izinamathisele ebusweni bebhamuza, bese ithuthwa iye ebusweni beseli, lapho igcwala khona iye endaweni yokuwasha yokukhipha amanzi, ngokuvamile ngosizo lwama-paddle, ijikeleza iqonde endaweni yokuwasha (okuvame ukuba yi-tawry, enhloso yayo ukuthutha i-slurry iye ethangini lapho ipompelwa khona ukuze iqhutshwe phambili, njengokukhipha amanzi noma ukuhlanzwa. Ukukhishwa kwe-tailings, emishinini evamile yokuntanta, kusekugcineni okuphambene kweseli kusuka ekudleni, ukuqinisekisa ukuthi i-slurry ihamba yonke ubude beseli idlula emabhange amaningi aqukethe ama-impeller-diffusers, ngaphambi kokuba ikhishwe njenge-tailings.

Izinhlobo eziningana zamakhemikhali zihilelekile ekuntanteni kwegwebu, kanti ezinye eziningana zingahileleka. Okokuqala yi-promoter noma i-frother. Leli khemikhali limane lidala amagwebu anamandla anele okufika phezulu ngaphandle kokuphuka. Ubukhulu bamagwebu bubalulekile, futhi, futhi umkhuba uwukuthi amagwebu amancane, njengoba enikeza izindawo ezingaphezulu (athintane nezinto eziqinile zamaminerali ngokushesha), futhi abe nokuqina okukhulu. Okulandelayo ama-reagents okuqoqa yikhemikhali eyinhloko ezokwakha isibopho phakathi kweminerali ethile ebusweni begwebu. Ama-collectors amunca phezu kwamaminerali noma akhiqize ukusabela kwamakhemikhali neminerali, okuvumela ukuthi ihlale inamathele lapho ifika endaweni yokuwasha. Ama-alcohol nama-acid abuthakathaka yizinhlobo ezimbili zamakhemikhali zama-collectors ezivame ukusetshenziswa ekuzuzeni amaminerali.

Kukhona futhi ama-reagent angasetshenziswa kakhulu, njengezicindezeli, ukucindezela ama-compounds ukuze anganamatheli kuma-bubbles, amakhemikhali alungisa i-pH, kanye nama-activating agents. Ama-activation agents empeleni asiza umqoqi ukubopha ne-mineral ethile okunzima ukuyintanta.

Izinkampani ezifana neCytec, Nalco, kanye neChevron Phillips Chemical Company zingabakhiqizi abakhulu bazo zonke izinhlobo zamakhemikhali athambile.

Okungcono kakhulu, ama-reagent azongezwa ethangini lokulungisa, kanye ne-agitator, ngaphambi kokuya esitokisini sokuntanta, kodwa ezimweni eziningi, afakwa nje esitokisini, ngaphambi kokuba angene esitokisini, kuncike ku-kinetics yeseli kanye nama-impeller ukuze axubane.

Itshe eliyigugu lidinga ukugaywa kahle libe usayizi wezinhlayiya ukuze kukhishwe amaminerali, ngokuvamile ayi-100 mesh noma finer (150 microns). Bese lixutshwa namanzi libe yiphesenti elifanele lezinto eziqinile (ngokuvamile kusuka ku-5% kuya ku-20%), okuzoletha ukubuyiswa okungcono kakhulu kwamaminerali. Lokhu kunqunywa kumaseli e-flotation e-laboratory batch, kuqhuba izivivinyo eziningana ukuze kutholakale isichazamazwi ngasinye senqubo.

Izinhlobo zemishini yokuntanta ziyahlukahluka kakhulu, kodwa zonke ziyafana kakhulu, ngoba zingenisa umoya ngaphansi kwamanzi, bese ziwusabalalisa esitokisini. Ezinye zisebenzisa ama-blower, ama-air compressor, noma isenzo se-flotation impeller edala isikhala ngaphansi kwayo bese idonsela umoya emshinini, ngepayipi eliyi-standpipe eliphinde libe ne-impeller shaft. Kusemininingwaneni yendlela yokungenisa amakhemikhali, umoya kanye namaminerali emanzini okwenza kube okuhlukile.

Futhi njengokuphawula, ngibone izimangalo eziningi ze-voodoo nezingelona iqiniso zokusebenza kahle ekwakhiweni komshini we-froth flotation kunanoma yini kusukela ezinsukwini zamafutha enyoka eNtshonalanga Yasendulo. Ngokuvamile kuwukuhlakanipha ukunamathela kumkhiqizo omuhle osetshenziswa kabanzi ekufakweni kweminerali oyifunayo.

Intuthuko enkulu kube ukusetshenziswa kwe-Column Flotation njengeseli elihlanzekile elintantayo embonini yethusi (nakweminye imboni embalwa). Ikhiqiza umkhiqizo ohlanzekile, futhi isebenza kahle njengeseli elihlanzekile, ngokuvamile, kunamaseli avamile okuntantayo. Amaseli okuntantayo ekholomu aqala ukuvela ezitshalweni ngasekupheleni kwawo-1970 nangama-1980 futhi amukelwa kabanzi ngawo-1990. Umkhuba oyinhloko ngamaseli avamile okuntantayo ube yi-Bigger is Better, enamayunithi amakhulu angena emakethe eminyakeni embalwa edlule.