Selective flocculation is a potential process for solid-solid separations i
n the fine particle size range. The critical barriers to further the commer
cial applications of this technique are loss in predicted single mineral se
lectivity in mixed mineral systems, extrapolation of mixed mineral selectiv
ity to natural systems, and scale tip from laboratory to plant. A comprehen
sive review of the recent advances in selective flocculation technology, wh
ich facilitates overcoming these barriers, is presented in this paper. Thes
e include identification/design of selective reagents based on the surface
chemistry of particles, use of site blocking agents to minimize heteroflocc
ulation, and tailoring the polymer characteristics vis-a-vis particle size
to achieve the desired separation efficiency. (C) 2000 Published by Elsevie
r Science B.V. All rights reserved.