Separation of particles of different surface energies through control of humidity

A system for separating particles of different surface energies through control of humidity, comprising:

• a separation platform with a controlled environment for separating a plurality of particles;
• an intelligent controller operably connected to a data store, the separation platform, and one or more actuators;
• one or more properties of the plurality of particles accessible to the intelligent controller and the data store;
• and
• one or more operating conditions for the controlled environment accessible to the intelligent controller and the data store;
• wherein the separation platform identifies one or more particle types to separate from the plurality of particles, controls the one or more operating conditions for the controlled environment based on one or more properties of the one or more particles for separating one or more particle types from the plurality of particles.

A method for classifying and concentrating minerals and the subsequent extraction of metals, comprising:

• providing one or more known particle separation processes;
• performing a particle separation process on an input to or an output of the one or more known particle separation processes, wherein the particle separation process comprises:
• a separation platform with a controlled environment for separating a plurality of particles;
• identifying one or more particle types to separate from the plurality of particles;
• controlling humidity within the controlled environment based on one or more properties of the one or more particles;
• and
• separating the one or more particle types from the plurality of particles by controlling the humidity within the controlled environment based on the one or more properties of the one or more particles.

A method for separating particles of different surface energies through control of relative humidity and substrate surface roughness, comprising:

• providing a separation platform with a controlled environment having a substrate surface roughness for separating a plurality of particles;
• identifying one or more particle types to separate from the plurality of particles;
• controlling humidity and the substrate surface roughness within the controlled environment based on one or more properties of the one or more particles;
• and
• separating the one or more particle types from the plurality of particles by controlling the humidity and the substrate surface roughness within the controlled environment based on the one or more properties of the one or more particles.