Shades of Green: The Path to Flotation Reagents Development

Abstract

Despite growing interest in eco-friendly reagents for mineral processing, a standardized definition for green products in flotation operations remains absent. This study proposes a comprehensive classification framework for flotation reagents, grounded in four key pillars: safer chemical profiles, biodegradability, sustainable raw materials, and green production.These pillars are ranked by relevance and integrated into a scoring system ranging from 0% to 100% green, applicable to the major flotation reagent categories: collectors, depressants, and frothers. The framework facilitates a more comprehensive assessment of current reagent sustainability and identifies areas for improvement. By establishing a chemistry-based benchmark with the materials used for flotation today, this work supports the development of next-generation reagents aligned with environmental and safety goals, contributing to more sustainable beneficiation practices.