Nanobubbles for enhanced interaction between solids and gas volumes

A method comprising:

• obtaining an aqueous slurry comprising a liquid and solid particles having diameters at least one millimeter within the liquid;
• causing the formation of nanobubbles and collecting air bubbles within the aqueous slurry, the collecting air bubbles having diameters at least two orders of magnitude greater than the diameters of the nanobubbles, at least some of the nanobubbles being formed on or adhering to the solid particles;
• causing gas supersaturation of the aqueous slurry;
• monitoring gas density of the aqueous slurry using a gas density sensor and continuously controlling dissolved gas in the aqueous slurry to ensure that the nanobubbles do not collapse;
• introducing a plurality of surfactants to the slurry;
• causing one or more nanobubbles to adhere to the solid particles, and
• attaching the solid particles to the collecting air bubbles using capillary bridges formed by the nanobubbles between the solid particles and the collecting air bubbles, thereby causing the solid particles to rise within the slurry.