Hello,

I am not in the mining industry, but I've been searching for a way to effectively separate graphite flake from machining coolant and in my research I stumbled across froth flotation from the mining industry as an effective way to extract graphite.

The graphite I'm trying to remove is in the form of very small flakes/particles, most of which are under 10 microns in size. The liquid/machining coolant is roughly 95% water and 5% mineral oil with an emulsifying agent (hexylene glycol) to emulsify the oil. As far as I can tell (my background is mechanical engineering), the graphite is bonding with either the emulsifying agent or the mineral oil as the graphite stays suspended in the liquid even when left to settle for days.

It is my hope that the concept of froth flotation to separate graphite might be adaptable to my issue. If anyone here is familiar with the process willing to share their thoughts or can direct me appropriately I would greatly appreciate it.