Question

Complete the following flow chart and answer the questions below:

i) In which method pine oil is used?
ii) Explain what method of concentration in brief.

Answer 1

 

 

i. In froth floatation method.
Industrially, pine oil is used as a frother in mineral extraction from ores. For example, in copper extraction, pine oil is used to condition copper sulfide ores for froth flotation. Therefore, it is important in the industry for the froth flotation process

ii. the finely ground ore is put into a big tank containing an ample amount of water.  Certain oils such as pine oil, eucalyptus oil, is added in the water for the formation of froth. Due to agitation a foam is formed from oil, water, and air bubbles together and floats on the surface of the water.

1) The Froth Floatation method is a method used for the concentration of metal ores.

2) It is used for the concentration of sulfide ores.

3) In this method, water is added to powdered ore.

4) To this, substances called collectors (such as pine oil ) are added so that the ore particles can be separated from the gangue particles.

5)The ore particles become wet by oil while the gangue particles become wet by water.

6) Air is blown in through a pipe and a rotating paddle agitates this mixture.

7) This forms froth.

8) The froth, being lighter, carries with it the ore particles and is separated from gangue.

9) So, the ore particles float above water. The froth is then skimmed off, leaving behind the gangue.

10) It is dried and metal is thus obtained.