The growing concerns about the environmental impact of the mining industry, particularly the intensive use of petroleum-derived chemical reagents, surge a radical transformation towards adopting more sustainable and eco-friendly approaches. The widespread use of chemical surfactants in mineral flotation is crucial for efficiently separating valuable minerals from ores in the mining industry. However, recently attention has been drawn to the development and usage of bio-catalyzed and enzymatically synthesized biosurfactants in the field of mineral enrichment towards building a sustainable and ecological flotation process. This review primarily discusses the current state of ecological flotation from three perspectives: enzymatic synthesis of biosurfactants with desirable properties, the expanded application of these agents in bio-flotation, and the prospect of large-scale implementation. Recent investigations have been summarized by categorizing sugar- and fatty alcohol-based biosurfactants according to their direct or indirect implications for improving flotation across a wide range of minerals. Importantly, this review integrates available quantitative comparisons between enzymatically synthesized biosurfactants and conventional surfactants, highlighting key performance indicators such as recovery rates, selectivity indices, and environmental impact metrics. The current review also aims to shed light on the use of enzymes in the synthesis of these biosurfactants through illustrative examples such as enzyme-mediated production of rhamnolipids and sugar fatty acid esters, which have shown promising results in enhancing flotation efficiency and selectivity. Tackling the scientific and technological challenges in ecological flotation will drive efforts to minimize environmental pollution, enhance the sustainability of mining practices, and advance the goals of a green economy.

中文翻译：

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矿物浮选的绿色创新，通过酶合成糖和脂肪醇生物表面活性剂提高可持续性 – 全面回顾

人们对采矿业对环境影响的日益关注，尤其是石油衍生化学试剂的大量使用，促使人们向采用更可持续和环保的方法进行根本性转变。化学表面活性剂在矿物浮选中的广泛使用对于采矿业中从矿石中有效分离有价值的矿物至关重要。然而，最近人们注意到生物催化和酶合成的生物表面活性剂在矿物富集领域的开发和使用，以建立可持续的生态浮选工艺。本文主要从酶法合成具有理想特性的生物表面活性剂、这些试剂在生物浮选中的扩展应用以及大规模应用的前景三个方面讨论了生态浮选的现状。最近的研究总结为根据糖醇和脂肪醇基生物表面活性剂对改善各种矿物浮选的直接或间接影响进行分类。重要的是，本综述整合了酶促合成的生物表面活性剂和传统表面活性剂之间的可用定量比较，突出了关键性能指标，如回收率、选择性指数和环境影响指标。目前的综述还旨在通过说明性示例阐明酶在这些生物表面活性剂合成中的应用，例如酶介导的鼠李糖脂和糖脂肪酸酯的生产，这些示例在提高浮选效率和选择性方面显示出有希望的结果。 应对生态浮选的科学和技术挑战将推动努力减少环境污染，提高采矿实践的可持续性，并推进绿色经济的目标。