A professional who tends flotation machines that separate metals from gangue of ore. Respnsibilities include:

• Turns valves to regulate flow of pulp and reagents into cells.
• Turns valves to introduce compressed air into cells to agitate mixture and to promote froth that carries metallic particles to surface of liquid and deposits them through side opening of cell into launders.
• May tend cells that are agitated either mechanically or by air, or combination of both.
• May lubricate and repair machines.
• May be designated according to metal separated as Copper-Flotation Operator; Molybdenum-Flotation Operator.