Inkqubo yokuqubha kolwelo idla ngokuchazwa njengesenzo se-physical-chemical, apho isuntswana leminerali litsalwa khona, lize lizincamathele kumphezulu weqamza, lize lithuthwe liye kumphezulu weseli, apho liphuphuma khona liye kwindawo yokuhlamba impahla ekhutshwayo, ngesiqhelo ngoncedo lwee-paddles, lijikeleza kwicala lendawo yokuhlamba impahla (ehlala iyi-trough, injongo yayo kukuthutha i-slurry iye kwitanki apho ipompelwa khona ukuze iqhubeke nokucubungula, njengokukhupha amanzi okanye ukuvuza. Ukukhupha i-tailings, kwiimashini ze-flotation eziqhelekileyo, kukwicala elichaseneyo leseli ukusuka kwindawo yokutya, ukuqinisekisa ukuba i-slurry ihamba lonke ubude beseli idlula kwiibhanki ezininzi ezine-impeller-diffusers, ngaphambi kokuba ikhutshwe njenge-tailings.

Iindidi ezininzi zeekhemikhali zibandakanyeka ekujikelezeni kolwelo, kwaye ezinye ezininzi zingabandakanyeka. Okokuqala yipromoter okanye i-frother. Le khemikhali idala nje amaqamza anamandla aneleyo okufika kumphezulu ngaphandle kokuqhekeka. Ubungakanani bamaqamza bubalulekile, kwaye umkhwa kukwenza amaqamza amancinci, kuba anika iindawo ezingaphezulu komphezulu (anxibelelana ngokukhawuleza nezinto eziqinileyo zeminerali), kwaye azinzise ngakumbi. Okulandelayo ii-reagents zokuqokelela yikhemikhali ephambili eya kwenza unxibelelwano phakathi kweminerali ethile kumphezulu weqamza. Abaqokeleli banamathela kumphezulu weminerali okanye bavelise impendulo yekhemikhali kunye neminerali, nto leyo evumela ukuba ihlale inamathele xa isiya kwindawo yokuhlamba impahla. Iialcohols kunye nee-acids ezibuthathaka ziintlobo ezimbini zeekhemikhali zabaqokeleli ezisetyenziswa rhoqo ekuveliseni izimbiwa.

Kukwakho nee-reagents ezingasetyenziswa kakhulu, ezifana nee-depressors, ukucinezela ii-compounds ukuze zinganamatheli kwiibhamuza, iikhemikhali ezilungisa i-pH, kunye nee-activating agents. Ii-activation agents zinceda umqokeleli ukuba adibane neminerali ethile ekunzima ukuyidada.

Iinkampani ezifana neCytec, Nalco, kunye neChevron Phillips Chemical Company ngabavelisi abakhulu bazo zonke iintlobo zeekhemikhali ezibhabhayo.

Eyona nto ingcono kukuba, ii-reagents ziya kongezwa kwi-conditioner tank, kunye ne-agitator, ngaphambi kokuba ziye kwi-flotation cell, kodwa kwiimeko ezininzi, zongezwa nje kwi-feed, ngaphambi kokuba zingene kwi-cell, kuxhomekeke kwi-kinetics ye-cell kunye ne-impellers ukuba zixubane.

I-ore kufuneka igaywe ngokufanelekileyo ibe yi-particle size ukuze ikhuphe iiminerali, ngokuqhelekileyo i-100 mesh okanye i-finer (150 microns). Emva koko ixutywa namanzi ibe yi-percentage ye-solids (ngesiqhelo ukusuka kwi-5% ukuya kwi-20%), eya kuvelisa ukubuyiswa okungcono kweeminerali. Oku kumiselwa kwiiseli ze-laboratory batch flotation, kuqhuba inani leemvavanyo ukuze kuchongwe into nganye echaza le nkqubo.

Iintlobo zeemashini zokudada zahlukile kakhulu, kodwa zonke ziyafana kakhulu, kuba zingenisa umoya phantsi kwamanzi, zize ziwusasaze kwiseli. Ezinye zisebenzisa ii-blower, ii-air compressors, okanye isenzo se-flotation impeller edala isithuba esingaphantsi kwayo kwaye sitsale umoya kumatshini, nge-standpipe ekwagcina i-impeller shaft. Kukwiinkcukacha zendlela yokungenisa iikhemikhali, umoya kunye neeminerali emanzini ezenza zahluke.

Kwaye njengengxelo, ndibone amabango amaninzi e-voodoo kunye namabango angeyonyani okusebenza kakuhle kuyilo loomatshini bokuntywila ngomhlwa kunayo nayiphi na into ukusukela ngemihla yeoyile yenyoka kwi-Old West. Ngokuqhelekileyo bubulumko ukunamathela kuphawu oluhle olusetyenziswa kakhulu ekuntywiliseni izimbiwa ezifunekayo.

Eyona nkqubela phambili inkulu ibe kukusetyenziswa kweColumn Flotation njengeseli ecocekileyo yokudada kwishishini lekopolo (nakweminye imboni embalwa). Ivelisa imveliso ecocekileyo, kwaye isebenza kakuhle njengeseli ecocekileyo, ngokubanzi, kuneeseli zesiqhelo zokudada. Iiseli zekholomu zokudada zaqala ukubonakala kwizityalo ngasekupheleni kweminyaka yoo-1970 ukuya kwiminyaka yoo-1980 kwaye zamkelwa ngokubanzi ngeminyaka yoo-1990. Eyona ndlela iphambili ngeeseli zesiqhelo zokudada ibikukuba yiBigger is Better, kunye neeyunithi ezinkulu eziza kwimarike kwiminyaka embalwa edlulileyo.