[floh-tey-shuh
n] 
| 1. | an act or state of floating. |
| 2. | the launching of a commercial venture, bond issue, loan, etc. |
| 3. | Metallurgy. a process for separating the different minerals in a mass of powdered ore based on their tendency to sink in, or float on, a given liquid. |
| 4. | the science of floating bodies. |
| float·a·tion (flō-tā'shən) n. Variant of flotation. |
| flo·ta·tion also float·a·tion (flō-tā'shən) n.
|
flotation flo·ta·tion (flō-tā'shən)
n.
The process of separating different materials, especially minerals, by agitating a pulverized mixture of the materials with water, oil, and chemicals. Differential wetting of the suspended particles causes unwetted particles to be carried by air bubbles to the surface for collection.