July Cornish Mining Sundowner and a potential tungsten resource in Cornwall

 What a relief to see a fine turnout of around 25 at last night's Cornish Mining Sundowner at Falmouth's Chain Locker, having had the lowest turnout ever a month ago. And good to see so many staff and former students from Camborne School of Mines (CSM).

Linda Shimmield founded the CSM Association (CSMA) in 1989 to foster the alumni network and maintain the CSM identity. She served as secretary until 1996 and we were pleased to welcome the current secretary, Nicola Wilton, to her first sundowner.

Linda and Nicola

We only occasionally see Charlie Northfield, who graduated in mineral processing in 1980, as he is based in Malaysia. He is General Manager at the Selinsing Gold Mine, in Pahang State, approximately 158 km north of Kuala Lumpur and was on leave in his native Devon. It was good to catch up with Charlie, and to welcome a guest to the sundowner, Matthew McLeod, Mining Manager at the Gold and Minerals Co. Saudi Arabia. 

With Matt and Charlie

Matthew was brought up in Falmouth and he was visiting his family who live in the Truro area. His son is a miner at South Crofty, working on the shaft refurbishment. Matthew graduated from Camborne School of Mines as a mature student in 2012 and then worked in Canada for a short time before returning to Cornwall to be with his family. He spent some time at South Crofty, working for Cornish Minerals as a shift boss and briefly as a temporary mine captain on the shaft refurbishment before he was offered a position in Saudi Arabia by John Webster, a 1980 CSM graduate, who is now CEO of Gold and Minerals Co. Their first project is likely going to be five to seven open pits in the desert. It will be a 30mt a year project and will be making use of TOMRA Ore Sorters, for which they are currently preparing a second, larger test batch, initial testing reducing ore handling by about 50%. They also have ongoing labwork at GSL, now an Alfred H. Knight company, near Truro, to develop the processing of the sulphide part of all the deposits.

I was pleased to hear about the TOMRA sorters, which will also likely be used in the new processing plant for the resurgent South Crofty. TOMRA recently signed up with MEI as a sponsor for next year's Physical Separation '26 in Cape Town.

The resurgence of mining in Cornwall has seen South Crofty's return as a viable tin mine, with hopes of restarting tin production by the end of 2027, along with work on Cornish Lithium's hard rock and brine projects.

But Cornwall isn't all about tin and lithium. A new mining revolution is underway in Cornwall with the start of drilling for a critically important metal. Tungsten is known for its strength and durability and was historically a key component of light-bulbs. It has the highest melting point of all metals and is now used in everything from industrial cutting tools to aerospace and defence. 

Drilling is underway underground at the Redmoor Tungsten-Tin-Copper Project in Callington, East Cornwall. The company behind the mine, Cornwall Resources Limited says it is exploring for resources of tungsten, tin, and copper in its Tamar Valley licence areas, with a focus on Redmoor.

Dennis Rowland, CRL project manager, said: "This is an important moment for the company, for Cornwall, and for the UK. The drilling now underway is the first exploration drilling at Redmoor since 2018 and aims to enable the accelerated development of a potentially important new domestic source of critical minerals. We are excited to highlight through this drill programme the potential of Redmoor as a strategically important, high-grade, polymetallic tungsten resource right here in the UK".

Last night showed that the sundowner is alive and well, and I look forward to the next one, at the Chain Locker on Thursday August 21st from 5.30pm.

Flotation '25 Programme Released: The Strongest Line-Up Yet

I have known Jim Finch, Emeritus Professor at McGill University, Canada, for nearly 50 years. Over that time, we’ve developed a close and productive working relationship. Jim is a natural consultant to MEI’s flotation conferences and served as my co-editor for the 8th (and probably final) edition of Wills’ Mineral Processing Technology.

Jim and I signing books in Phoenix at the 2016 SME Meeting

Signed copies of the new edition will be awarded as prizes for the best oral and poster student presentations at Flotation '25, which takes place this November.

And what a conference it’s shaping up to be, featuring around 110 oral and 100 poster presentations. Jim and I spent a great deal of time working on this packed programme, and Jim finally remarked: "The programme looks excellent- nice grouping of topics, and such a range."

We are extremely satisfied with the groups and the breadth of topics covered across the four days. The schedule, now published on the conference website, reflects the ongoing evolution of flotation and its expansion into a wider array of commodities.

Day 1 opens with a keynote lecture, “From comminution to flotation: bridging the gap”, delivered by Chris Greet of Magotteaux, Australia. The rest of the day will explore flotation circuit design and the increasing role of AI and digital twins in operational management.

Day 2 focuses on flotation reagents, starting with Liza Forbes (JKMRC, Australia), who will present her keynote, “Beyond reagent trials – new directions in flotation chemistry research.”

Day 3 continues the reagent theme, kicking off with Jim Finch’s keynote, “Frothers: from fundamentals to practice.” Later that morning, the spotlight will shift to innovations in flotation machines, both mechanical and pneumatic. Leading manufacturers will be present in the exhibition during the extended coffee and lunch breaks to discuss these developments in depth.

On Day 4, we turn to the processing of critical metals such as lithium and rare earth elements, topics rarely addressed in earlier conferences but now taking centre stage. The morning begins with Charlotte Gibson, of Queen’s University, Canada and her keynote, “Lithium mineral flotation: the past, present, and future.” The day concludes with sessions on flotation fundamentals, control, and simulation, followed by the presentation of student prizes.

This 12th MEI flotation conference promises to be the most exciting in the series. As always, there will be ample opportunities for networking during long breaks, evening sundowners, and the informal conference dinner at the Gold Restaurant in central Cape Town. The event ends with a farewell function in the hotel gardens, with rumours of a special birthday celebration.

Registration is now open, so be sure to book your flights and accommodation early.

#Flotation25

Momentum Builds for Comminution '27 as Industry Leaders Rally Early Support

Comminution '27 is just 21 months away! It’s hard to believe it’s been only three months since the highly successful Comminution '25 ended in Cape Town. The event attracted 237 delegates from 29 countries and received outstanding feedback from attendees,  a clear testament to the strength of MEI’s comminution conference series.

Looking ahead to Comminution '27, excitement is already building. The event has had a strong start, with 13 of the 22 sponsors from Comminution '25 already confirming their return, nine of these re-committing during the conference itself (posting of 28 April 2025).

The latest sponsors to sign on are Magotteaux, Derrick, Molycop, and Sino Grinding -  a warm welcome back to each of them!

We’re always pleased to share good news from our long-time sponsors. Russell Mineral Equipment (RME), a regular supporter of MEI’s comminution events, consistently brings a large team from Australia. We were especially proud to hear that RME Founder and Director, Dr. John Russell, received the prestigious Austmine 2025 Champion of Innovation Award at the Industry Leaders and Awards Dinner, held on 21 May 2025 during the Global Resources Innovation Expo.

MEI's Jon Wills with John Russell at Comminution '25

Austmine is Australia’s premier industry association for the Mining Equipment, Technology and Services (METS) sector. The Champion of Innovation Award is a lifetime achievement honour, recognising individuals who have significantly shaped the METS sector. 

John Russell founded RME in 1985 in Toowoomba, Queensland, with a mission to mechanise the mill relining process, improving safety, reducing reline times, and enhancing mine profitability. Today, RME operates in 64 countries with 13 international sales and service centres, employing over 450 people worldwide.

Congratulations to John and the entire RME team on this well-deserved recognition. We look forward to welcoming you once again in 2027.

Comminution '27 promises to be another landmark event for mineral processing professionals worldwide. Abstract submission is now open, and there are fantastic opportunities available for sponsorship and exhibiting. Don’t miss your chance to be part of what will surely be another must-attend industry gathering.

#Comminution27

New book: Liberation Based Energy Efficient Sulfide Flotation Circuits

I met Bill Johnson for the first time at the SME Annual Meeting in Denver in 2017, where he was inducted into the International Mining Hall of Fame.  Later in the year he was in Cape Town to present a keynote lecture at Flotation '17. In 2020 I interviewed him for the blog.

In over 50 years in minerals processing, Bill has made outstanding advances to the treatment of complex ores. He pioneered the use of the paradigm of size-by-size mineral liberation-class behaviour, and is a masterful user of this approach to drive major improvements to mineral processing plant design and performance. He was pivotal to the development of flowsheets and new processes for McArthur River, Mount Isa, Hilton and George Fisher, and has provided highly skilled technical support for a global array of operations. culminating in the development of the IsaMill technology and the Jameson Cell.

His educational and training experience includes teaching undergraduates and supervising postgraduate research together with running “in house” courses on advanced topics for technical staff. Bill is a respected mentor and widely known for his success in developing the professional skills of many minerals processing engineers during his time in the corporate sector and academia.

Bill Johnson is a Principal Consultant with Mineralis who has recently published what will be a very important book Liberation Based Energy Efficient Sulfide Flotation Circuits (Including Regrinding and Cleaner Flotation Technology Improvements since 1970).

In this book Bill distills his 50 years of internationally recognised experience in the treatment of complex ores into one publication. He discusses the significant developments in regrinding and cleaning technologies that have taken place from 1970 to 2020 and provides some future directions for primary grinding, roughing, regrinding and cleaning in sulfide flotation circuits to decrease the energy required for grinding in the total system. The decreased energy consumption can be achieved by performing the final stages of liberation of the valuable sulfide minerals mainly in regrinding where the tonnages of solid being processed are lower than in primary grinding.  

He uses data and real-world examples to effectively communicate the complexities of the sulfide mineral flotation process. Also included are discussions on the importance of the chemical conditions inside a regrinding mill and the relationships between these chemical conditions and the separation performance of the associated cleaner system.

Ample examples from industry are included to assist the reader, along with over 160 references. A must volume for anyone involved with sulfide mineral flotation.

Mineral Technologies to sponsor Physical Separation '26 in Cape Town

Next year’s Physical Separation ’26 will be the 9th in this popular conference series and the second to be held in Cape Town, South Africa, once again at the beautiful Vineyard Hotel. The 2024 event drew 80 delegates from 17 countries, and we look forward to building on that success.

Physical Separation ’26 will showcase the latest developments in all physical separation techniques used in mineral processing. We are therefore pleased to announce that Mineral Technologies will be sponsoring an MEI Conference for the first time, joining our current sponsor, Steinert.

Mineral Technologies is a globally respected leader in fine mineral separation, particularly in the processing of mineral sands -including ilmenite, rutile, zircon, and garnet- as well as iron ore, chromite and other industrial minerals.

The company specialises in gravity and magnetic separation technologies, offering equipment such as spirals, magnetic and electrostatic separators, and custom flowsheet design. Its state-of-the-art metallurgical testing facility in Queensland underpins its engineering expertise.

Founded over 80 years ago, Mineral Technologies is part of the Downer Group, an Australian company known for delivering integrated services across multiple industries. With a global footprint, Mineral Technologies maintains operations and offices in North and South America, Africa, India, and Southeast Asia.

We warmly welcome Mineral Technologies to Physical Separation ’26 and look forward to their active involvement in the conference (#YourMineralsMatter).

Abstract submission is now open. Please submit short abstracts by October 31st. Physical Separation ’26 will be immediately followed by Mineral Processing Circuits ’26, also at the Vineyard Hotel.

#PhysicalSeparation26

June Summary: activity in Falmouth and sad news from Egypt

Early in the month it was good to have Sunday Lunch with Tim Napier-Munn and his wife Goeorgie, who were visiting Falmouth on an extended holiday from their home in Brisbane.

Now semi-retired Tim is a former Director of the JKMRC in Brisbane and was my co-editor of the 7th edition of Mineral Processing Technology. He was the first person that I interviewed for MEI's In Conversation series.

Lunch overlooking the Penryn River, Falmouth

Three days later I was at the UK Mining Conference in Falmouth, and caught up with a few familiar faces, including my old friend Alan Butcher. We go back a long way since we were both lecturers at Camborne School of Mines in the 1990s, before he moved to Australia in 1998 to aid with the development of QEMSCAN automated mineralogy with CSIRO. In 2003 he became part of Intellection Pty Ltd, incorporated specifically to bring QEMSCAN to market. During his 5 years with Intellection Alan and I organised three annual conferences on automated mineralogy in Brisbane, which evolved into MEI's current process mineralogy series. Alan is now Chief Scientist and Technical Director with Hafren Scientific Ltd, UK and is an advisor to MEI's Process Mineralogy '26 and Critical Minerals '26.

With Alan Butcher in Falmouth

And another three days later Falmouth was gridlocked due to the weekend's Sea Shanty Festival and a Cornish Gig Regatta on a beautiful Saturday at Gylly Beach.

Amanda with Gig rowers on Falmouth's Gylly beach

Just four days later, I was in my office tuned in to Jon’s biweekly three-hour show on ARA City Radio Luxembourg. During the broadcast he mentioned that John Fogerty, one of the founding members of the iconic 1960s band Creedence Clearwater Revival,would be performing at the Glastonbury Festival the following week. He then played his favourite CCR track, Bad Moon Rising, a song I can’t help but associate with the cult classic horror film An American Werewolf in London.

Hearing it also reminded me how Jon is carrying on a family tradition. Fifty-five years ago, my old friend Pete Love and I ran a discotheque in Chingola. Among our vinyl collection was Proud Mary, my personal favourite CCR hit. We had dreams of striking it rich with that disco, but alas, we never quite had the DJ flair that Jon clearly does!

Zambia 1970 and Luxembourg 2025

Jon’s next show airs on Wednesday at 9:00 AM BST. Tune in if you're into alternative and indie music, it's always a great listen.

I've spent a lot of time in my office this month, working on the provisional programme for Flotation '25, aided by our consultant Prof. Jim Finch. 

Due to the record number of abstracts received this was hard work, but rewarding as we are now drafting a superb programme for November and registration is now open.

Four days ago, I received the sad news of the passing of Professor Tawfik Refaat Boulos, a distinguished Egyptian mineral technologist affiliated with the Central Metallurgical Research and Development Institute (CMRDI) in Helwan, Cairo. Over the course of his long and impactful career he made significant contributions to mineral processing, particularly in the beneficiation of industrial minerals such as silica sand, feldspar, phosphate and talc. In 2020, Professor Boulos mentioned that he had retired, though he continued to serve as a consultant research professor at CMRDI.

I first met Professor Boulos in 1981, when I was invited to CMRDI to provide guidance on their fledgling pilot plant. During my week-long visit, I was warmly welcomed and taken to see the sights of Cairo, including the Pyramids at Giza. The hospitality extended further with a generously arranged trip to Luxor and Aswan in Upper Egypt, complete with airfare and accommodation, an unforgettable experience.

Fourteen years later, Professor Boulos, then serving as Professor of Mineral Technology at CMRDI, hosted Barbara and me during a goodwill visit to Cairo (posting of 23 April 2020). This visit, which included visits to cultural sites in both Upper and Lower Egypt, underscored his commitment to fostering international academic collaboration.

During that memorable trip, we had the pleasure of sharing a delightful meal with Tawfik and his wife Brenda, overlooking the Nile. We hold fond memories of their warmth and hospitality, and of the time we spent in their fascinating country 30 years ago.

Cairo 1995