Atomic Force Microscopy images of surface nanobubbles on the rare earth fluorcarbonate mineral synchysite (NERC grant NE/M011429/1)

Non -contact atomic force microscopy (NC-AFM) images of surface nanobubbles on the fluorcarbonate mineral synchysite. Synchysite is a rare earth fluorcarbonate mineral which has previously been relatively unstudied. Since nanobubbles were first imaged in 2000, they have been thought to play a intigral role in mineral processing. Images of nanobubbles were produced under collector reagent conditions favourable to flotation. These are the first images of nanobubbles on the fluorcarbonate mineral synchysite. Nanobubbles at the surface of synchysite improve the understanding of both flotation and nanobubble formation.