Dimensionally controlled ‘engineered polymer bubble’ for flotation separation

Apparatus comprising:

• a first cell comprising a flotation cell having a top part and a bottom part, the top part configured to receive an ore slurry having mineral particles, the bottom part configured to receive unexpanded polymer microspheres comprising a surface having mineral collector chemistry attached thereto with molecules for attaching the mineral particles, wherein the first cell is configured to maintain the ore slurry at a predetermined temperature, and the unexpanded polymer microspheres are configured with a blowing agent encapsulated therein that has a trigger temperature set below the predetermined temperature so as to cause the unexpanded polymer microspheres to expand in volume into expanded polymer microspheres having an increased sphere surface area when received in the first cell, the first cell further configured to provide an expanded polymer microsphere foam layer comprising the expanded polymer microspheres with attached mineral particles;
• and
• a second cell configured to receive the expanded polymer microsphere foam layer, wherein the second cell comprises a release tank in the form of a re-pressurization cell or tank or a condensation cell or tank configured to cause the expanded polymer microspheres to collapse in volume into collapsed polymer microspheres having a reduced sphere surface area that results in a mechanical shearing off of the attached mineral particles.

Apparatus comprising:

• a first cell comprising a flotation cell having a top part and a bottom part, the top part configured to receive an ore slurry having mineral particles, the bottom part configured to receive polymer microspheres comprising a surface having mineral collector chemistry attached thereto with molecules for attaching the mineral particles, wherein the first cell is configured to provide a polymer microsphere foam layer comprising the polymer microspheres with attached mineral particles, wherein the first cell is also configured to cause the polymer microspheres to expand in volume into expanded polymer microspheres having an increased sphere surface area, and wherein the first cell is further configured to maintain the ore slurry at a predetermined temperature, and the polymer microspheres are configured with a blowing agent encapsulated therein that has a trigger temperature set below the predetermined temperature so as to cause the polymer microspheres received in the first cell to expand in volume into the expanded polymer microspheres having the increased sphere surface area to provide a polymer microsphere foam layer;
• and
• a second cell configured to receive the polymer microsphere foam layer, wherein the second cell further comprises a release tank in the form of a re-pressurization cell or tank or a condensation cell or tank configured to collapse the polymer microspheres in volume into collapsed polymer microspheres having a reduced sphere surface area that results in a mechanical shearing off of the attached mineral particles.