Mineral Processing
Mineral processing, also known as mineral beneficiation, ore sorting, or mineral dressing, is the process of extracting, separating, and concentrating valuable minerals or metals from ore. This is achieved by utilising a range of ore dressing (ore processing) methods including the crushing and grinding of ore as well as sizing and separating ore.
Subsequent to these processes, separation from the concentrate produced or from gangue (waste material) is necessary. This is known as dewatering and allows the water used in ore separation processes to be recycled and reused. The ore is sent to beneficiation plants for further processing.
Multotec offers a comprehensive range of mineral processing equipment, providing maximum efficiency in classification and separation solutions. Our equipment is suited to various separation methods such as magnetic, flotation, ion exchange and cyclonic action. We have continuously developed and refined our equipment to ensure efficiency in ore dressing plants across the globe.
We partner with you to create a mineral processing solution that reduces your downtime and ensures efficiency, ultimately reducing your overall cost per ton.
Over 50 years of expertise is trusted across the globe
Our mineral processing equipment is utilised by global power generation companies and mining houses worldwide, with representation on every continent. Multotec engineers possess a deep knowledge of process flows, ensuring that when you purchase our mineral processing equipment, it integrates into your operation seamlessly.
Our mineral processing equipment
Slurry Pumps
Complete range of slurry pumps for medium / heavy-duty cyclone feed, spirals feed, mill discharge, tailings disposal, filter feed and more.
Sampling Solutions
Multotec supplies a range of mineral processing sampling solutions that provide precise, unbiased samplers for all minerals & commoditie...
Wear Solutions
Our wear solutions provide industry-leading sliding- and impact-resistant linings for high velocity, abrasive material conveyance
Mill and Scrubber Linings
Maximum protection against wear! Multotec designs and manufactures rubber and steel liners for any ball mill, SAG mill, AG mill or scrubber.
Solid/Liquid Separation
Solid/liquid separation technologies and solutions from Multotec increase the rate of your separation, reduce waste and increase overall pro...
Conveyor System Solutions
Conveyor system solutions increase conveyor belt life and reduce conveying downtime through its Multolag, MATO systems and loading points.
Magnetic Separators
Magnetic Separators that easily separate ferromagnetic and paramagnetic particles – and remove tramp metals – from dry solids or...
Spiral Concentrator
Multotec-designed spiral separators are used across the world in coal, gold, iron ore, mineral sands, platinum and chrome processing plants.
Cyclones
Classification, dense medium and tailings dam cyclones for minerals processing, food processing, waste water treatment and more.
Screening Media
We supply polyurethane, rubber and wedge wire modular screen panels, trommels, sieve bends, statics, baskets and more!
Learn more about how Multotec can maximise your plants operations.Contact us
Ore separation methods
In mineral processing, ore sorting is separating and organising ore according to size following the grinding and crushing stages. Various methods can be used for sorting, depending on the kind of mineral being processed. Commonly used methods of ore sorting include:
- Screening: Course material is screened using screens of various sizes, producing different sized ore. Screening is also used to produce as close to uniform feed size as determined by the next processing stage.
- Classifying: Classification involves sorting particles based on their settling rate in a fluid, taking into account differences in ore size, shape, and density. Classifiers separate coarse and fine materials, with the primary goal being ore size separation, while also achieving mineral separation based on density.
- Heavy medium separation / dense medium separation: This method is used for the pre-concentration of minerals before the final grind. The process relies specifically on mineral density differences. The mixed ore is added to a liquid with density levels between that of the two minerals, and the heavier mineral sinks, while the lighter ones float.
- Gravitational separation: A machine-generated gravitational force enables mineral separation. The separation mechanism relies on the particle movement caused by the gravitational force and resistance applied by the fluid used in the process.
- Magnetic Separation: This method is used when one of the mineral components has strong magnetic susceptibility, allowing it to be separated from the others.
- Flotation: Flotation exploits the differences in the physio-chemical surface properties of different minerals. Chemical reagents added to the pulp selectively react with the surface of valuable ore particles and make it hydrophobic (non-wettable). This allows them to attach to air bubbles and, by including a frothing agent, form a stable froth on the pulp surface.
Multotec offers a range of mineral extraction equipment that is suited for all your mineral processing plants. Speak to an expert today!
What are the steps in mineral processing after ore extraction?
Immediately following extraction, ore crushing and grinding, known as comminution, takes place. This reduces the ore to manageable sized particles and releases its valuable components while discarding non-valuable ore, called gangue. For effective comminution, large-sized ore is crushed in a crusher developed for this specific process. Following this process, the smaller ore is crushed in rotating steel mills.
With manageable sized ore in hand, the rest of the ore processing steps are determined by the ore type. Multotec helps to enhance mineral processing with its wide range of products. Our mineral processing equipment includes but is not limited to flotation wear components, magnetic separators, spiral concentrators, hydrocyclones and slurry pumps for metal ore extraction, processing gold ore and many other mined minerals.
What minerals are processed?
Multotec manufactures and supplies customised mineral processing equipment for use in some of the world’s most demanding ore processing plants. Learn more about how we continue to innovate mineral dressing here.
Discover more about how our equipment is utilised in mineral processing:
Enhancing your overall plant performance
We help our customers meet their ore processing demands by optimising equipment lifespan and efficiency. To achieve this, we provide complete life-of-plant technical services aimed at increasing metallurgical efficiency to optimise plant throughput.
In addition, Multotec offers holistic plant evaluation, sampling and testing, process flow optimisation and plant-wide processing problem investigations. Our support structures include engineering services (including test work) and after-sales services including field service maintenance, as well as product performance monitoring and technical support.
Global presence. Local expertise. Cutting-edge products.
Our expertise on your doorstep
Multotec has a global presence with local expertise. We have branches and representatives in 100 countries across 6 continents:
Through this strategically located network of sales and service branches, our knowledge is shared with our customers, wherever they are. With leading metallurgical expertise on your doorstep, Multotec continually develops capacity, skills and infrastructure in our local operations around the world. We strive to do this as close to our customers’ plants as possible, which ensures a quick and effective response to your requirements and challenges. Our strategic stockholding of equipment and comprehensive spares, along with tailored field services, help you get more from your ore.