Conference Schedule

Fiber reinforced polymers (FRP) have been used for many years in hydromet mineral processing where acids are used to extract the minerals from the ores. This equipment has been used in many processes including uranium, lithium, copper, nickel and other minerals. The FRP equipment has also been found useful in Potash facilities. I will discuss what FRP is and give examples of where it has been used in the past in these areas.

“What have you done today that did not involve a mineral?” This simple yet thought-provoking question invites reflection on our personal connection to minerals and the broader role of the mineral industry. While mining is often viewed through an economic lens, minerals are fundamental to both human made and natural systems. To truly understand minerals, it’s essential to recognize their value chains. Mines, like all mineral resources, hold value beyond economic measures. However, public discussions about mining often focus primarily on industrial dollars or site remediation, and it’s challenging to move beyond that, as bringing the public onto industrial mining sites is not realistic. This narrow perspective overlooks the broader contributions of minerals and the deeper ways they enrich our lives from the tools we use in farming and construction to the minerals enabling renewable energy and technology, as well as the role they play in shaping our communities. The fields of geoscience, mining, and materials engineering are deeply interconnected through minerals, and these disciplines also overlap with other scientific fields, including environmental science, chemistry, and physics. By deepening everyone’s understanding of minerals and their applications, we can make more informed decisions about resource use, sustainability, and technological advancement. Sustainability begins with understanding where things come from, beyond the store.

Sensor technologies to digitalize material quality provide real time data to improve process performance in various commodities. Benefits often depend on the process sensitivity to feed characteristics including quality variability. Most process operations implement only rudimentary methods to estimate or indicate process feed quality and few have reliable, real time, representative and high precision data available. Process feed quality variability alone is known to affect metal recoveries by up to ten percent even when average quality is to expectations. Process performance has been optimized by improving feed quality control and this paper outlines the applications and benefits of four real time sensing technologies successfully applied to conveyed flows in these commodities. Natural gamma is used to determine uranium ore grade. Prompt gamma neutron activation analysis (PGNAA) is used for elemental analysis in hard rock lithium operations for measurement of proxies and/or elements to determine Li2O and contaminant content in ore and concentrates. PGNAA is also proven to measure elements such as sodium, potassium and chlorine in potash despite its high chlorine content. Microwave transmission-based moisture analysis is used in dry tonnage determination, dust management, dewatering control, material handling control and shipping (TML) applications. Particle size distribution using 3D infrared camera technology is used in conveyed flows for crusher gap control, oversize detection to prevent equipment damage, and for fragmentation analysis. The paper provides examples of each technology applied in these commodities and the benefits provided.

The development of hardrock lithium projects has a chequered history in Australia. However, pegmatitic dyke deposits of critical metals such as lithium, tin, tantalum, beryllium and niobium are less common but becoming increasingly significant for producing these critical minerals. Large-scale mining operations employ crushing, grinding, and gravity separation techniques to produce lithium concentrates and prepare them for further processing by roasting and hydrometallurgy. Tantalum is recoverable by gravity as a by product.
This paper describes the comminution, dense media separation and flotation testwork undertaken to develop a process flowsheet.
High Pressure Grinding Rolls (HPGR) was a successful newcomer to abrasive lithium grinding circuits and offer energy savings, lower media wear and recovery gains which make it hard to resists compared to conventional grinding circuit. Reflux classifiers were also successfully employed into the process flowsheet. There was also a difficult decision to progress the conventional process route or use whole ore flotation with a number of advantages and disadvantages attached.
Case histories and lessons learnt are discussed.

Rate reporting is an important metric for processing facilities to track as it provides useful insight into the accountability behind production shortcomings, exceedances, or target achievements. These statistics can also serve as reliable metrics on the relative impact that specific operating conditions have on key circuits. While the data collected can act as a valuable resource into the investigation of mill processes and operating relationships, the time and effort required to collect this data accurately can be tedious and drawn-out.

In recent history, rate reporting for the McClean Lake Uranium processing mill was completed on a daily basis by Training, Operations supervisors, and Metallurgy. This involved at least one member of each party attending a daily in-person meeting to review potential rate loss events, and then rationalize them on a case by case basis to evaluate their impact on production. This process was inefficient and ineffective. With the proper development of automated data collection tools, the process of collecting this data accurately can both cut down the required time for processing data, while also acting as a key cross check in rate event data. This ensures that the data can be readily accessible at any given time, with minimal required intervention.

Through the use of event generation based on forecast production rates, current feed tonnage, and current feed grades, an event generation could be created based on a check statement for if the minimum required processing rate is being achieved or not. This check statement could then collect data on all the applicable cases of current processing rates and their resulting root cause – high/low tonnage, high/low grade, or a combination of any of these conditions. At any given time, this statement can be checked to determine if the required rate is being met. From here, significant events can have a reason attributed to them by operations. These reasons are limited to a pre-developed list to limit redundancy and promote structure in the reporting behaviour. For specific incidence, additional comments may be included by operations to provide a more specific date to the root cause for further tracking. Following the completion of the month reporting period, the data can then be compiled to determine the total events affecting the month production value, and their root causes. This data can then be evaluated to determine which specific circuits have impacted the month production, which pieces of equipment require further development, and what grade of ore can be processed while still being economically viable.

The updated method of rate data collection has balanced much more accurately based on the production target/actual production, while also reducing the total required time for the involved parties to collect this data. What was previously a couple days of work can now be completed in a matter of minutes.

With the development of this tool, there exists the possibility to further develop automation of event-based reporting, allowing for further improved reporting capabilities.

The International Energy Agency estimates, based on a detailed review of all announced projects, that there is a significant gap between prospective supply and demand for some strategic minerals (up to 50% for lithium) based on announced pledges for 2035. This includes the production of existing assets, those under construction, and projects that are likely to proceed. A renewed interest in nuclear energy around the world is leading to a similar supply and demand dynamic for uranium.
Unfortunately, production ramp-up and capacity increase projects do not always go as planned. Investigations into plants that have been constructed and are struggling to ramp up often point to problems that could have been identified and mitigated in the engineering design phases. Common issues include inadequate equipment redundancy, insufficient buffering, and inadequate catch-up capacity of equipment. Although inadequate often means insufficient in relation to these three issues, overdesign can also occur and drive the capital cost of projects outside of what is acceptable for investors. Balancing design robustness and cost is a challenging endeavor, and having a process twin as a quantitative tool to assess this trade-off is often useful.
Through experience-inspired examples, this presentation will showcase how developing a discrete-event simulation model of operations during early engineering phases helps to mitigate the risk associated with the aforementioned downfalls, and how the balancing act between design robustness and capital cost can be achieved. The presentation will also showcase how the same principles can be applied to guide capacity increase projects in existing operations.
To meet the growing global demand for lithium and uranium, it is crucial to minimize risks in these complex projects and to get the plan right early in the cost curve. The methodology presented here contributes to achieving this goal.

The Athabasca Basin in Saskatchewan hosts some of the world’s highest-grade uranium deposits, primarily in the form of uraninite. Efficient classification and separation of uraninite-bearing particles are critical for maximizing recovery while minimizing processing costs. Traditional classification methods, such as hydrocyclones, often produce a broad particle size distribution, leading to over-grinding, increased reagent consumption, and uranium losses in ultra-fine fractions. This study explores the application of fine screening technology to enhance classification efficiency, reduce energy consumption, and improve uranium recovery rates.

Fine screens provide high-frequency vibration and precise particle separation, ensuring that only appropriately sized material enters the leaching circuit, thereby preventing uranium loss in ultra-fine slimes. Their effectiveness in desliming and dewatering also reduces the presence of clay-rich fines, which can hinder acid leaching and increase reagent costs.

Comparative analysis with hydrocyclones demonstrates that fine screens achieve sharper particle separations, increase uranium recovery, and lower operational costs. Their implementation in uranium milling operations, particularly in Saskatchewan’s high-grade deposits presents a significant opportunity for process optimization.

Upgrading an ore deposit can be both economically and environmentally beneficial if carried out correctly. Upgrading is the process of removing gangue material in as coarse a size fraction as possible (in the centimeter size range), prior to transporting it to the processes plant. By implementing this approach, the amount of material needing processing is significantly reduced. This leads to a decreased demand for high-capacity equipment, lower chemical usage, and reduced land requirements for both the plant and tailings storage. Consequently, the plant’s overall carbon footprint is significantly reduced.
The periodic table consists of 118 elements, which combined to form over 5 800 different minerals. Upgrading is the process of identifying which of the 5 800 minerals are gangue and which minerals contain or host the commodity of interest. Due to the complexity of minerals, removing gangue material prior to processing simplifies the feed to the processing plant, making mineral processing easier and more efficient.
There are several methods and technologies that are available to upgrade an ore body. However, selecting the best method for a specific deposit requires an understanding of the deposit’s mineralogy, the upgrading technology, and the environmental conditions of the location. Often, there is a choice of technologies to consider, and additional factors such as particle size distribution, water and power availability, licensing of X-rays and gamma devices, and maintenance requirements must be taken into account.
This paper documents the advantages and disadvantages of various upgrading technologies, explaining how they work and the mineral characteristics they are designed to sort. It also examines the technologies that could be used for upgrading uranium, potash, and lithium. Furthermore, the paper explores the economic and environmental impacts of these technologies, providing an analysis of their effectiveness in different scenarios. It also discusses future trends and innovations in ore upgrading, highlighting potential advancements that could further enhance the efficiency and sustainability of mineral processing.

The Key Lake Reverse Osmosis Plant has been an integral part of the Dielmann Tailings Management Facility (DTMF) and water management at Key Lake for more than 25 years. The plant was first constructed in 1995 and was later expanded in 2006. Currently, the plant can treat 23,000 m3/d of raw water and recover up to 92% as clean product water. This paper provides a general overview of water management at Key Lake and how the RO Plant fits with those capabilities. Information about the plant is provided, including: design details; historical performance; and unique features that enable efficient use of water. Membrane rejection rates for several elements that are not generally available in membrane supplier databases are also provided, including nickel, uranium, arsenic and zinc. An operations perspective about the plant and modifications to improve operability are also provided. The outlook for the next 25 years provides context for current maintenance and refurbishment projects.

Project EMILI is a project aiming to extract, concentrate and refine lithium hydroxide using a feed of lepidolite ore from an existing site in the Allier region of France. IMERYS Ceramics, the owner of the project, has been working with Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC) for several years to develop and improve the refining process through bench and pilot testing. A major factor in the development of the process has been IMERYS’ commitment to recycle as many liquid effluents as possible, and for turning potential waste materials into marketable products. To meet these sustainability goals and ensure a successful startup, it has been important for IMERYS to be able to simulate much of the process simultaneously to see the effect of the recycle streams on the quality of products. In response, SRC built and operated a pilot plant which can simulate the hydromet process at approximately 1/12th scale to the planned demonstration plant. This presentation will discuss the opportunities and challenges encountered in operating a lithium hydroxide plant, the largest scale pilot plant of its kind in Canada.

Efficient dewatering of yellowcake, a critical intermediate in uranium processing, is paramount to optimizing downstream handling, storage, and transportation while ensuring compliance with environmental and operational standards. GEA Westfalia Group GmbH presents a cutting-edge solution utilizing decanter centrifuge technology to address these challenges. This study explores the application and benefits of GEA decanter centrifuges in yellowcake dewatering, focusing on performance metrics, process efficiency, and customer-centric advantages.

The dewatering process begins with the introduction of yellowcake slurry, comprising solid ammonium diuranate and residual process liquids, into the decanter centrifuge. Operating at high rotational speeds, the centrifuge generates substantial centrifugal forces, enabling effective phase separation. The liquid phase is expelled through the centrifuge bowl’s weir system, while the solid yellowcake is conveyed towards the discharge port. This continuous operation ensures optimal throughput and minimal downtime.

The use of GEA decanter centrifuges delivers several add-values and customer benefits. Firstly, the high separation efficiency achieved ensures reduced residual moisture in the solid yellowcake, enhancing its stability for storage and transport. The minimized liquid carryover not only improves product quality but also facilitates downstream processing. Additionally, the robust construction of GEA centrifuges ensures durability and resistance to the abrasive and corrosive nature of uranium processing slurries, contributing to extended equipment life and reduced maintenance costs.

From an operational perspective, GEA decanter centrifuges offer unparalleled automation capabilities, enabling precise control of operational parameters such as bowl speed, differential speed, and torque. This adaptability allows users to fine-tune the dewatering process according to specific feedstock characteristics, thereby optimizing performance across variable operating conditions. Furthermore, the closed-system design enhances safety by minimizing worker exposure to radioactive materials and reducing the risk of environmental contamination.

The economic advantages of employing GEA decanter centrifuges are equally compelling. The reduced energy consumption per ton of processed material, coupled with minimal chemical usage for liquid-solid separation, ensures operational cost savings. The compact footprint of the centrifuge systems simplifies plant layout requirements and reduces installation complexity, making them a versatile solution for both greenfield and retrofit projects.

In conclusion, GEA decanter centrifuges represent a state-of-the-art technology for yellowcake dewatering, combining superior mechanical design with process adaptability and environmental responsibility. By delivering high efficiency, operational reliability, and substantial cost savings, these centrifuges enable customers in the uranium processing industry to achieve sustainable, safe, and efficient production processes. This study underscores GEA’s commitment to innovation and customer-centric solutions, advancing the global energy transition through technological excellence in uranium processing.

Lithium plays a critical role in modern industries, particularly in the production of lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles, driving significant demand in the global market. To meet this demand, expanding lithium production from mineral sources is essential. TANCO has been investigating the feasibility of reprocessing mine tailings to recover residual spodumene and amblygonite, two key lithium-bearing minerals.
A pilot-scale flotation study was conducted at SGS Lakefield in 2024 using a sample from TANCO’s West Tailing Management Area (WTMA). The material, grading approximately 1.01% Li₂O, 0.53% Fe₂O₃, 1.15% P₂O₅, and 0.81% Cs₂O, represented tailings from historical operations with surface contamination and potential weathering. Approximately 36 tonnes of material were processed using a flowsheet comprising primary screening, magnetic separation, desliming, mica pre-flotation, and sequential flotation circuits for amblygonite and spodumene.
Optimized operational conditions yielded promising results: a spodumene concentrate grading ~5.0% Li₂O at ~35% lithium recovery and an amblygonite concentrate grading ~4.9% Li₂O at ~30% lithium recovery. The combined lithium recovery reached ~65%, with concentrate grades close to 5% Li₂O. These results are particularly encouraging given the challenges posed by the material’s history as primary tailings with significant surface contamination.
Key parameters studied included reagent dosages and retention times for each flotation stage. The findings from this pilot study will inform the design of a process flowsheet aimed at producing high-grade spodumene and amblygonite concentrates with improved lithium recovery.
This work demonstrates the potential for reprocessing tailings to recover valuable lithium minerals, contributing to sustainable resource utilization and supporting the growing demand for lithium in the global market.

Solvent extraction is a commonly used method in the production of uranium ore concentrate from run of mine ore. However, molybdenum commonly co-exists with uranium ores and, if not removed, can cause significant operational issues including crud formation and product contamination. Molybdenum readily co-extracts with uranium into the organic phase when commonly used ternary amine extractants, such as Alamine 336 and Armeen 380, are employed. Optimal rejection of molybdenum to the raffinate while minimizing product loss from organic regeneration requires detailed understanding of the chemistry occurring in the extraction, stripping, and regeneration circuits. Typical approaches to understand molybdenum transport in an operational solvent extraction plant include development of plant extraction and stripping isotherms for uranium and molybdenum. These isotherms, while very useful, are specific to the operating regime from which they are obtained, and therefore, are of limited utility when ore characteristics change. In this work, we present an alternative approach to model solvent extraction based upon fundamental thermodynamic analysis. Rather than using plant isotherms, pure system (i.e. single component) isotherms available in the open literature are used to calculate fundamental thermodynamic constants of interfacial reactions. By isolating the extraction of a single component, the process can be represented exactly in a thermodynamic model and, thus, the free energy of the organic salts involved in the extraction mechanism can be calculated by data fitting. Pure system isotherm data generated by Yakabu and Dudeney1 for sulphuric acid / uranyl sulphate and Coca et al.1 for molybdic acid was used in this work. Using the fitted thermodynamic model, a process model of a typical uranium solvent extraction plant, including extraction, stripping, and regeneration circuits, was developed using SysCAD. SysCAD is a highly flexible process simulation platform which is widely used in mineral processing. Recent improvements have enabled the integration of high-fidelity thermodynamic engines, such as OLI, ChemApp (FactSage), AQSol, and PHREEQC. Individual mixer-settler units were modelled using an embedded PHREEQC interface to calculate aqueous and organic chemical speciation in the mixer via free energy minimization for the extraction circuit and wash cell of the plant. The stripping circuit was modelled using a stripping isotherm, and the regeneration cell was modelled using reactions with PHREEQC calculations for aqueous pH.

Tantalum Mining Corporation is located close to the Whiteshell Provincial Park, approximately 180 kilometers east-northeast of Winnipeg in the Province of Manitoba, Canada and experiences significant losses in lithium recovery during the winter months. When the temperature of the water goes below 12 degrees Celsius, the recovery rate of lithium drops by at least 25%. With the lithium market experiencing a major price decline due to rising supply and weaker demand combined with fairly high costs for TOFA based collectors, considering different oil-based fatty acid collectors, to improve overall lithium recovery all year-around, offered significant economic benefits. The introduction of different blends of oil-based fatty acids has proved to increase and maintain high recovery rates (92-93%), regardless of the water temperature where recovery is increased by 2-3% in the summer months, and 26-27% increase for the remainder of the year. In addition, these oil-based fatty acid blends work best at a pH of 8.2 during condition as well as floatation.

Innovation can take many shapes and forms, a common definition being the application of new ideas and technologies for commercial gain. The development curve associated with innovation often requires the involvement of multiple parties and significant investment before commercialization can be realized. For this reason, effective collaboration can be a powerful innovation accelerator. The International Minerals Innovation Institute (IMII) was founded in 2012 to facilitate collaborative innovation in the Saskatchewan minerals sector and beyond. Over the past 13 years IMII has advanced several initiatives focused on Education and Training, and Research, Development and Demonstration. The IMII experienced a recent change in leadership, with the new Executive Director, Lesley McGilp joining the organization in June, 2025. Lesley will provide a talk on how collaborative innovation serves to facilitate knowledge sharing, mitigate development risk, build capacity and achieve commercial impacts. She will share IMII success stories, insights on innovation pathways from her 25 year crosssector career and some early thoughts on the vision for IMII’s next chapter.

Grinding is a critical pre-treatment step in mineral processing with a striking impact on feed ore particle size, surface properties, mineral liberation and pulp chemistry, all of which ultimately determine flotation outcomes. This preliminary study investigates the influence of the grinding environment (mill media type, pulp pH and chemistry) on the flotation behaviour of spodumene from low grade lithium pegmatite ores. The primary objective is to optimize flotation recovery and selectivity through grinding process optimization. The mechanisms underlying the interplay between grinding media, pulp pH and ore particle interfacial chemistry were characterized using zeta potential measurements and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS). The impact of wet-grinding conditions on spodumene flotation performance was investigated for cast iron and zirconia media under alkaline, acidic, and neutral conditions, using sodium oleate as a collector. Alkaline pretreatment enhanced flotation selectivity by increasing collector adsorption, whereas acidic pretreatment suppressed flotation recovery, which was ascribed to the reduced exposure of surface-active cations, such as Al³⁺ and Li⁺, on the spodumene surface under acidic conditions. Zeta potential measurements showed that, under NaOH-treated conditions, the zeta potential of spodumene particles shifted to higher electronegative values, indicating enhanced preferential adsorption of oleate ions as compared with those treated with HCl. SEM-EDS analysis showed that HCl treatment caused extensive morphological alterations, as evidenced by scuffing marks, holes and fine residuals on spodumene surface. SEM-EDS also confirmed the deposition of iron (Fe) species on the spodumene surface after grinding with cast iron medium. At a head grade of 0.67% Li₂O, cast iron grinding achieved the highest recovery of 95%, with a concentrate grade of 1.72% Li₂O. Zirconia grinding yielded a concentrate assaying 2.15% Li₂O at 46% recovery with alkali pretreatment. Despite the apparent beneficial effects of the iron activation from cast iron wear on spodumene flotation, the media loss due to wear could also raise economic concerns in large scale operations. This preliminary study highlights the necessity of tailored activators and depressants in grinding with zirconia and cast-iron media, respectively, to control spodumene flotation.

Submerged Combustion (SC) has a long history in the heating of industrial process fluids but is not well known or generally well understood by industry. It has been implemented in a wide range of applications, from heating clean water to dense mineral slurries and highly corrosive solutions with high scaling potential. In addition to heating, SC can be used to concentrate or evaporate solutions. The SC process involves burning a fuel in a chamber that is partially submerged in a liquid and then contacting the combustion gas products with the surrounding liquid (or slurry). The direct contact of hot gases with liquid creates a highly efficient heat transfer mechanism, and since there are no heat transfer surfaces, other than the gas bubbles, it is immune to fouling. In the potash industry, SC is being or can be used for solution mining, hot water production for mixing amine flotation reagent, heating crystallizer brine feed, heating water for plant and mine housekeeping, and heating other process or utility streams. The fundamental physical characteristics of SC lead to lower thermal efficiency when heating to higher liquid temperatures due to the psychrometric properties of the combustion gas; as the temperature increases, the humidity ratio rises rapidly giving rise to higher energy losses to the exhaust gas in the form of latent heat of evaporation. To combat the loss of efficiency, methods of heat recovery have been developed and implemented in Inproheat’s proprietary SubCom® systems to enable heating to higher temperatures while maintaining higher thermal efficiency than can be achieved with traditional steam boiler – heat exchanger combinations. Case studies for solution mining and sulphate of potash production are presented to demonstrate the application and benefits of SC in potash processing. Images of commercial systems are presented to provide the audience with a visual appreciation of actual operating SC heaters.

The global demand for lithium, driven by its critical role in energy storage technologies such as batteries for electric vehicles and renewable energy systems, has necessitated the development of efficient and scalable refining processes. The refining of lithium typically involves a series of interconnected steps, including evaporation, crystallization, centrifugation, and drying. GEA offers an extensive portfolio of solutions that optimize these processes, delivering enhanced efficiency, reduced environmental impact, and superior product quality. This abstract provides an overview of these key refining methods and the contributions of GEA technologies.

Evaporation:
Following separation, evaporation plays a vital role in concentrating lithium solutions by removing excess water. GEA’s evaporator systems, such as forced-circulation and falling-film evaporators, are designed to maximize energy efficiency while maintaining product quality. These systems are optimized for the thermal properties of lithium-containing solutions, ensuring high evaporation rates with minimal scaling or fouling. GEA’s thermal vapor recompression (TVR) and mechanical vapor recompression (MVR) technologies further enhance energy savings, making the evaporation process more sustainable.

Crystallization:
The crystallization phase is essential for isolating lithium salts, such as lithium carbonate or lithium hydroxide, in their purest form. GEA’s crystallization systems are engineered to deliver precise control over nucleation and growth parameters, resulting in high-purity, uniform crystals. GEA’s continuous crystallization solutions allow for flexibility in meeting production requirements while ensuring scalability and operational efficiency. Additionally, innovative designs minimize the consumption of utilities and reduce waste generation during crystallization.

Centrifugation:
Post-crystallization, centrifugation is used to separate and dewater the crystallized lithium salts. GEA centrifuges, including decanter and peeler centrifuges, provide high-performance solutions for solid-liquid separation, achieving low residual moisture content in lithium crystals. These centrifuges are designed for reliability, ease of maintenance, and adaptability to varying production scales, ensuring efficient processing at every stage.

Drying:
The final drying step is critical to achieving the desired moisture content for lithium salts. GEA’s drying technologies, including fluid bed dryers and spray dryers, are tailored to lithium processing requirements. These systems ensure uniform drying, preserve product integrity, and offer energy-efficient operation through advanced heat recovery solutions. The result is a consistently high-quality lithium product ready for downstream applications.

GEA’s integrated approach to lithium refining, leveraging its expertise in separation, evaporation, crystallization, centrifugation, and drying, ensures a streamlined process with optimized performance. By incorporating cutting-edge engineering and sustainable practices, GEA enables producers to meet the growing demand for lithium while adhering to stringent environmental and quality standards.

A holistic trade-off of which classification technology should be used to close the circulating load in a grinding circuit should include impacts on the grinding circuit itself and the performance of the downstream process (i.e. desliming and flotation). This study will go through a size-by-size – by liberation mass balance of the grinding mill. Impacts of mill classification equipment (i.e. hydrocyclones versus ultrafine screens) on flotation performance will be evaluated. Special attention on the impacts on particles of different densities during classification and the subsequent flotation performance results. Commentary on the CAPEX and OPEX of the circuits will be evaluated against their performance from a recovery and selectivity point of view. Although the case considered spodumene as the subject mineral, the methodology will be explained so that it can be easily modified for use with other minerals.

In response to the global challenges posed by fluctuating mineral prices, rising energy costs, lower-grade ores, and increasingly stringent environmental regulations, metallurgists are turning to innovative technologies to enhance processing efficiency. Recent advances have demonstrated the viability of closing crushing circuits using high-efficiency fine screens instead of traditional hydrocyclones or commodity screens. This transition offers operators significant benefits, including: improved crushing/grinding circuit efficiency, production rates, reduction of overgrinding, and a superior particle size distribution for downstream processes.

This paper explores the fundamentals of fine screening technology in crushing/grinding circuits and presents data from a conventional potash mill process. Specifically, the adoption of Derrick’s high-efficiency fine screens offering over 30% increase in plant capacity due to reduced circulating load, over 1.5% improvement in recovery from optimized particle size distributions, and over 50% reduction in maintenance costs associated with screen life. These outcomes demonstrate the transformative impact of fine screening technology on the potash industry, offering a pathway to more efficient, sustainable operations.

This presentation will explore the development of a first-order kinetic flotation model using the plug flow reactor analogy accounting for the different behaviours of different particle sizes based on in-plant observations. By analyzing the kinetics of potash recovery, different circuit optimization pathways can be modelled and explored. A case study based on the Allan Regrind Circuit will be presented.

Thickeners are critical to solid-liquid separation in mining operations, influencing product yield, water recovery, tailings management, and overall plant efficiency. While they may seem simple in principle, their operation presents significant challenges. Operators must manage a bed that is not always easy to measure and may include a significant cloudy or sludge layer, and ensure key constraints such as rake torque, overflow clarity, and overflow turbidity remain within acceptable limits. Moreover, the slow, gradual changes of the bed and high uncertain of feed source composition make operation more difficult to track and forecast, and present challenges that conventional PID control struggles to handle effectively.

This presentation will explore different levels of advanced process control available for thickeners starting with basic underflow density control, where the primary assumption is that a well-settled bed will naturally yield a consistent, high-solids underflow. While effective in many cases, this approach can struggle when feed conditions vary or bed stability is compromised. Next, the presentation will cover a more advanced approach involving active bed management, where direct control over the bed level allows for real-time adjustments to optimize settling performance. Finally, rise rate control techniques will be discussed, particularly for applications where separation efficiency and light phase product recovery is a priority.

Each approach to thickener control described above will include a review of instrumentation requirements, suggested control algorithms and techniques, advantages and drawbacks, and a discussion of learnings from real-world applications.

The McClean Lake uranium mining and milling Operation is located approximately 800 km north of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. The McClean Lake site includes three mined-out and flooded pits: Sue C/A, Sue B and Sue E. Orano has initiated a geochemical research program to improve the water quality in the Sue pits to aid water treatment options at the time decommissioning. The program is divided into three phases.

Phase I included the completion of lab-based bench-scale treatment experiments using Sue pit water samples and reagents (ferric sulphate and slaked lime at different dosages) as well as the optimization of potential treatment considerations with modelling. Phase I test results show that addition of ferric sulphate followed by addition of slaked lime for pH adjustment to 8.5-10.0 is effective in the removal of arsenic and nickel respectively from the Sue pit water samples. The results indicate that this technique is also effective in the removal of uranium and molybdenum.

Phase II is the pilot scale application of the in-situ treatment program based on treatment design considerations from the Phase I results. The objective of this phase is to evaluate the potential efficacy of the technique on a larger scale using Sue E pit water. This study uses large tanks in indoor and outdoor locations to evaluate the treatment process. The indoor tank test acts as a control with year-round testing and monitoring, and the outdoor tank testing was conducted under the same environmental conditions as the flooded pit to help determine the effects of seasonal changes on treatment process. The addition of ferric sulphate to the test tanks resulted in the decrease in arsenic concentrations in the test water. Within a month of ferric application, an arsenic removal efficiency 97.5% was observed. However, the nickel concentration remained relatively unchanged in the test water. The addition of the slaked lime to the indoor tank test resulted in an increase in pH and a nickel removal efficiency of 70% was observed. Total and dissolved concentration of copper, lead, molybdenum, radium-226, selenium and uranium concentration remained very low and stable in the test solution.

The results and lessons from the pilot scale are being used as design basis for Phase III of the program (i.e. implementation full scale in-situ treatment of the Sue E pit). The treatment is expected to improve Sue E pit water quality and provide Orano with better understanding of the in-situ remediation approach efficiency.

The Mosaic Company, in collaboration with the International Minerals Innovation Institute (iMii) and Ionic Mechatronics, successfully demonstrated the SafeBox automated lockout-tagout system in an industrial mining environment. The SafeBox system, comprising a master control device and multiple field isolation devices, is designed to isolate electrical, hydraulic, and pneumatic energy during lockout-tagout procedures. The system streamlines complex lockouts, significantly reducing downtime and the risk of human error. In this Mosaic field installation, the SafeBox system efficiently managed the lockout of 11 electrical isolation points in under 20 seconds, showcasing the system’s ability to handle complex lockouts swiftly and safely.

This presentation will highlight the SafeBox system’s deployment, how this innovation defines new standards for workplace safety and efficiency in the minerals sector, and the collaborative efforts behind this advancement. Attendees will gain insights into the real-world application of the SafeBox system including lessons learned from the field demonstration and considerations for future adoption.

December 16, 2024

UPLift 2025 Abstract Submission
Ionic Mechatronics

Increasing the Safety of Packaging Systems Through Automation

Globally, the demand for uranium has been increasing, and as uranium refineries open and reopen, the requirement for safer uranium packaging is increasing. Due to uranium’s unique properties, there are significant challenges involved in providing safe, efficient, reliable packaging systems, while also meeting safety and production targets. This abstract discusses Ionic Mechatronics’ observations over the past five years related to uranium packaging and the need for reliable systems

Evolution
The need to protect an operator from airborne uranium dust exposure has increased as clients’ and regional safety standards become more and more stringent. Airborne uranium dust is very harmful to humans when ingested or inhaled. Current systems allow an operator to work in a safe environment without the need for Tyvek suits, which represents a significant improvement over the systems of 15 years ago. Furthermore, the addition of dedicated dust collection systems and containment areas around the filling process have greatly reduced the airborne dust in the packaging area.

Key Design Factors
The current automated Packaging Systems are designed to minimize or eliminate dusting, and have incorporated increasingly more features to improve safety, reliability and ease of maintenance.
As in any automated system, consistency of product and consumables improves overall results. When the uranium product itself varies in temperature or density, this can result in negative effects on items such as gaskets and rubber wear parts. Density variations can cause excessive bridging as well as over filled drums. Variation in consumables such as drums, lids and rings can lead to difficulties in automated lidding and meeting torquing standards. These inconsistencies also impact wear on the automated parts and in some cases do not allow certain types of automation. These problems can be overcome, but in order to ensure success, system parameters must be clearly defined

What We See Going Forward
Continuing to improve operator safety is the main goal when developing and designing new generations of equipment. As the packaging systems evolve, the challenges will include finding new and improved methods for dust collection, evaluating fully automatic lidding and bolting, designing for higher variations in product temperature and properties, and further reducing operator exposure.

Solid-Liquid Separation with Centrifuges and Dryers in Mineral Applications

Solid-liquid separation is crucial in mineral processing, ensuring efficient recovery of valuable solids while minimizing moisture for further handling. Centrifuges and dryers are key technologies in applications such as uranium, potash, lithium, ammonium sulfate, and yellow cake production. Depending on particle size, feed concentration, and moisture content requirements, various centrifuge designs are used, including pusher, decanter, vibratory, screen/scroll, and combination machines like screen-bowl decanters.

Efficient Centrifuge Technologies

Screen-bowl decanters integrate the benefits of decanter and screen centrifuges, enhancing dewatering for fine and coarse solids. Screen/scroll centrifuges provide direct dewatering using a rotating basket and a differential-speed scroll for solid transport and discharge. These centrifuges handle a wide range of particle sizes and feed concentrations, making them adaptable for various mineral applications. Key factors like centrifugal force (g-factor), retention time, and screen design play a critical role in optimizing separation efficiency and achieving the desired moisture levels.

Replacing Settling Tanks with Decanter Centrifuges

Decanter centrifuges offer a major advantage over traditional settling tanks by enabling continuous solid-liquid separation in a compact system. Unlike large gravity-based tanks requiring significant space, structural foundations, and long retention times, decanter centrifuges rapidly separate solids using high centrifugal forces. This reduces footprint requirements, making them valuable in remote locations where construction costs, building sizes, and foundation needs are key cost factors.

By eliminating settling tanks, decanter centrifuges lower capital and operational costs, decrease water usage, and improve process efficiency. Their ability to accelerate processing reduces storage needs and simplifies plant layouts. Additionally, their energy efficiency and automation capabilities help minimize labor and maintenance costs, making them an optimal solution for modern mineral processing facilities.

Advanced Drying Technologies for Moisture Reduction

After centrifugation, drying technologies such as rotary, fluid bed, and flash dryers further reduce moisture content to meet product specifications. The choice of drying method depends on material properties, energy consumption, and operational efficiency.

Environmental and Sustainability Benefits

Beyond product recovery, these technologies offer significant environmental advantages. Effective solid-liquid separation enhances tailings management by reducing waste volume and improving stability for safer storage or disposal. Additionally, efficient water separation minimizes loss, promotes recycling efforts, and lowers the environmental impact of mineral processing operations.

Conclusion

Ongoing advancements in centrifuge and dryer technologies continue to improve separation efficiency, reduce energy consumption, and enhance product quality. By optimizing operational parameters, solid-liquid separation processes contribute to greater efficiency, lower processing costs, and more sustainable mineral processing. The integration of decanter centrifuges not only enhances separation efficiency but also replaces infrastructure-intensive methods, providing cost-effective and space-saving solutions for large-scale and remote mining operations.

A major source of Rare Earth Elements (REEs) is from byproducts of Heavy Mineral Sands operations in the form of monazite. Caustic cracking followed by selective acid leach is one of the typical monazite processing technologies to produce REEs. The leach residue, accounting for about 30% of the monazite concentrate, contains high levels of thorium and uranium with a high level of radiation. Further processing of the leach residue can not only improve the recovery of valuable unleached REEs but also recover the thorium (Th) and uranium (U) as secondary resource to reduce environmental impacts. The Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC) has been working with the uranium and rare earth industries for many years to develop uranium and REE ore processing and separation technologies. SRC adapted a nitric acid leach and solvent extraction (SX) technology for processing the residue to recover REEs, thorium and uranium. The extraction with TBP (Tributyl phosphate) and subsequent stripping using nitric acid to separate, recover and purify thorium, uranium and REEs were very selective using the following the sequence: 1). U/Th extraction; 2). U extraction from U/Th strip; 3). Th purification by Th extraction from the raffinate of U extraction; 4). REE purification by REE extraction from the raffinate of U/Th extraction. For each of the unit operations, the O/A (organic/aqueous) ratio and the number of extraction/stripping stages can be determined from the extraction isotherm or McCabe-Thiele plot. SRC has built and commissioned an SX pilot plant that can be configured to separate and recover REE, uranium and thorium from leach residues.

Location: Western Development Museum – Saskatoon
Address: 2935 Lorne Avenue, Saskatoon, SK S7J 0S5

🏛️ 1910 Boomtown Adventure at the Western Development Museum
Step back in time and experience the charm of early 20th-century Saskatchewan at our signature social event, hosted at the Western Development Museum (WDM). Located on Treaty 4 and Treaty 6 territories and the Homeland of the Métis, the WDM is the largest human history museum in Saskatchewan, home to over 75,000 artifacts.

Explore Boomtown, a life-sized replica of a 1910 prairie town featuring more than 20 historic buildings. Wander through immersive exhibits like Winning the Prairie Gamble, the Transportation Gallery, and one of Canada’s largest collections of agricultural machinery. It’s a unique opportunity to connect with fellow delegates while discovering the stories that shaped Western Canada.

What to Expect

• Open to all delegates and their spouses
• Dinner: Beef on a bun with sides
• Drinks: Two complimentary drink tickets per guest
• Atmosphere: Casual, walk-around format to explore exhibits and mingle
• Transportation:
  • To the event: Buses begin loading at 18:00 from the conference venue and depart as they fill. Last bus leaves at 18:30.
  • Return: Buses begin loading at 21:00 from the museum. Last bus departs at 21:30.
    Local delegates may drive if they prefer.

Sponsors

This memorable evening is made possible thanks to the generous support of:

Saskatchewan Research Council
Peter Lucas Project Management
Respec Company LLC