Part one: Comminution, flotation and sample preparation at SLR’s mineral processing laboratory

At SLR, we are committed to developing sustainable processing solutions that minimise environmental impact. Our focus on sustainability ensures that our clients receive tailored solutions that meet their specific project requirements while promoting environmental stewardship.

Our mineral processing team specialises in delivering comprehensive metallurgical testing and sustainable processing solutions to the global mining industry and offer a full range of metallurgical testwork programmes, from small bench-scale investigations to large-scale pilot plant operations.

The processes and tests showcased in this article series were conducted in our state-of-the-art laboratory in Cornwall, UK, which is equipped to handle a wide variety of ores and commodities, including base and precious metals, industrial minerals, and battery metals.

Comminution Testing

It’s an often-quoted figure that crushing and grinding accounts for approximately 50% of a mine’s total energy consumption and is therefore a significant contributor to operating costs.

With a global trend for reducing ore grades, increased energy costs and the need to process larger quantities to meet demand, the comminution testing we offer at SLR allows us to optimise the design of a comminution circuit to reduce costs and ensure resource efficiency.

The video below shows just some of the comminution tests we offer which include the full suite of standard Bond tests (Crusher, Abrasion, Rod & Ball) along with the JK Drop Weight & SAGDesign tests.

Flotation

Froth flotation is one of the most widely used mineral processing technologies available. By exploiting differences in surface chemistry, froth flotation can be applied to a wide range of commodities and will be key in producing the metals necessary to drive the transition towards a greener economy.

Applications include:
1. Base Metals (Copper, Lead & Zinc)
2. Precious Metals (Gold, Silver & PGM’s)
3. Battery Metals (Lithium, Graphite, Nickel & Cobalt)
4. Tech Metals (Tin, Tungsten & REE’s)
5. Industrial Minerals (Fluorspar, Potash & Phosphate)

The video below shows the various stages that make up a laboratory flotation test on a copper ore we are currently working on including grinding, rougher flotation, regrinding, cleaner flotation and filtration.

Sample Preparation

Good sample preparation sets the foundation for high quality metallurgical testwork by ensuring that the material tested is both representative and consistent throughout the test programme.

Bad sample preparation = Bad Testwork

SLR has the capability to prepare samples ranging in size from a few kilos to several tonnes using a methodology tailored to the specific requirements of your project. Our next video highlights some of the stages involved in the preparation of a sample for testing, including multiple stages of crushing, homogenisation and sample division.