Structure of Solids

Abstract

Processes of selective separation of solids by flotation, spherical agglomeration, or selective flocculation exploit differences in surface characteristics of the various solid phases. The surface features are primarily determined by the molecular or atomic structure of the solid (whether crystalline or amorphous), the types of bonding involved, and, to a varying degree, by the past history undergone by the solid. In exceptional cases, the physical or mechanical treatment received in the past by different solids may nullify the differentiating effects due to structure or bonding. Invariably, any chemical activity between the environment and the solid modifies the surfaces to some extent, but as long as such an action is not too drastic, the structural features within the interior of the solid are reflected in its surface properties. For more exhaustive treatments of structures and bonding prevailing in various solids (whether minerals or chemical compounds), the reader is referred to the texts listed in Section 3.6. Only a brief review of the salient structural features is undertaken here in order to provide a minimum background for those with no immediate access to those references.