Application of kinetic, incentive, limits and arrheniusan curves for flotation characterization

Separation curves such as kinetic (recovery R versus process time t), limits (kinetic constant k versus maximum recovery R _max), incentive (R vs incentive parameter i), and arrheniusan (ln k vs 1/energy - for a regent concentration (i = c) being kT·ln(c/c _o)), were characterized and discussed. Their usefulness for flotation was described and relations between the curves were presented. All the separation curves provide valuable parameters. The arrheniusan curves are exceptionally useful because they deliver activation energy, expressed in the terms of energy, a parameter indicating how well a separation system responds to a change of an incentive parameter. The incentive parameter can be temperature, reagent concentration, pH, particles size and many others. (paper)