The theory of flotation

A brief summary of the fundamentals of the Linear theory of flotation is given. The theory by no means contradicts the previous Laminar theory or even the thermodynamics (Wark-Siedler), rather it is a refinement of the known Hardy-Langmuir-Harkin conceptions for the case when there are not two phases and phase boundaries, but rather three phases and corresponding phase boundary edges. The appearance of such three-phase boundaries (ore, water, air) is characteristic for modern flotation methods.