Ion flotation method

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR THE RECOVERY OF INORGANIC IONS FROM A POLAR SOLUTION THEREOF BY A TECHNIQUE WHEREIN A UNIQUE FLOATABLE REACTION PRODUCT IS FORMED AND SEPARATED BY FROTH FLOTATION COMPRISING CONTACTING SAID INORGANIC IONS WHILE IN SAID POPLAR SOLUTION WITH AN OPPOSITELY-CHARGED, ION-PRODUCING, SURFACE-ACTIVE COLLECTOR HAVING AT LEAST ONE HYDROPHILIC AND ONE AEROPHILIC CENTER OF ACTIVITY, SAID COLLECTOR BEING SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ALKYL, ARYL, ARYLALKYLAMINES AND THE CORRESPONDING AMINE AND QUATERNARY HALOGEN SALTS, AND A TRIGLYCERIDE DERIVATIVE SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF PLANT AND ANIMAL TRIGLYCERIDES HAVING FROM 5 TO 24 CARBON ATOMS IN EACH OF ITS AEROPHILIC CENTERS OF ACTIVITY AT COLLECTOR CONCENTRATIONS BELOW THE CRITICAL MICELLE CONCENTRATION OF SAID COLLECTOR, TO FORM A REACTION PRODUCT, SAID REACTION PRODUCT BEING OF A MONOMOLECULAR NATURE CAPABLE OF ADSORPTION AT THE INTERFACE OF AN AIR BUBBLE BY REASON OF THE AEROPHILIC ACTIVITY OF SAID COLLECTOR, BUOYING THE REACTION PRODUCT WITH AIR BUBBLES TO FORM A FROTH ON THE SURFACE OF THE SOLUTION WHILE MAINTAINING SAID SURFACE SUBSTANTIALLY QUIESCENT, AND RECOVERING THE REACTION PRODUCT FROM THE FROTH BY REMOVAL OF THE FROTH FROM SOLUTION.