Towards waterless operations from mine to mill

To respond to the increased demand for commodities, volumes of primary ores need be mined. This could lead major challenges with water and tailings management since ore grades are low many mining operations take place in high stress areas. The current mineral processing methods used highly intensive and, consequently, there is increasing interest finding alternative solutions produce raw material concentrates using little or no water. Dry separation technologies capable efficient recovery commodities relatively rare dependent on materials separated. Low-grade complex require energy-efficient liberating material. Controlled optimisation rock fragmentation chain from blasting comminution can seen as a viable option reduce energy-intensive grinding. Application pre-concentration remove barren waste prior grinding, developing cost-efficient comminution, use mechanical chemical pre-treatment modifying surfaces replacing solvents leaching all good tools when considering change wet non-aqueous processing. Nevertheless, considerable multidisciplinary research, along new holistic, innovative required enable change.