Describe the role of Sodium cyanide in froth floatation.

Explanation

Froth floatation is a process to purify sulphide ores, in presence of pine oil.
The forth floatation method is based on the two opposite properties, hydrophilic and hydrophobic, of the particles . Here the particles of the metal sulphides, due to their hydrophobic property, get wetted mainly with pine, oil, while due to the hydrophilic propery the gangue particles get wetted with water.
Pressurized air is blown through the mixture and simultaneously mixture is agitated using and agitator, due agitation particles of sulphide ore form a foam with pine oil. This foam rises to the surface of water and floats and can be easily separated.