Dielectric separation of minerals

The original and the contemporary forms of dielectric separation of solids (and minerals in particular) are reviewed and an advancement of this method by the experimental adjustment of the frequency of a.c. electrical field as well as by adjustment of the electrical conductivity of the liquid dielectric media applied in dielectric separation of biomaterials is discussed. Experiments with dielectric separation of diamond by selective chaining of minerals are described and mechanisms of polarization and selective chaining of materials with permittivity, both higher and lower than that of the liquid media are discussed. An estimate of the spatial displacement of a small spherical quartz particle, falling free in water and subjected to electrical pulses in an isomotive electrical field, is given.