Top Award to Kevin Galvin for the Reflux Classifier

The Reflux Classifier has featured in many major conferences over the last few years, including last year's Flotation '13. It separates fine particles on the basis of density and size, and improves efficiency in processing by combining a conventional fluidized bed with a system of inclined channels to achieve enhanced rates of segregation of high density particles, and enhanced conveying of low density particles. The device has been applied to a wide range of particle sizes, has a greater ability for mineral recovery than many other water-based extraction methods, and is used to achieve the sharp separations required for recovery of premium metallurgical coal. The classifier has been deployed in Australia for coal in the Hunter Valley and Bowen Basin, as well as for chromite in Mozambique, and is presently being targeted for iron ore in Western Australia, with a new plant under construction worth A$200 million, due to begin processing from the middle of this year.

The Reflux Classifier was first patented by Prof. Kevin Galvin and his team at the University of Newcastle, Australia in 2000, and is presently responsible for around A$1.5 billion in export revenue each year. This innovative device has now attracted the praise of the Australian scientific community through the Australian Academy of Sciences and Engineering, and Prof. Galvin was presented with a Clunies Ross Science Award in Perth last month for his work on the ground-breaking Reflux Classifier. He said that the future of mineral extraction lies with controlling the effects of particle size, to ensure the most efficient extraction of mineral from mined ore.

 

Kevin Galvin (right) at Flotation '13

I am particularly pleased to hear about this award, as I have known Kevin for many years. He is an Australian representative on the Editorial Board of Minerals Engineering, and a regular contributor to MEI Conferences. He presented the keynote lecture at Physical Separation '09, and was Guest Editor for the special Physical Separation issue of Minerals Engineering in 2010.

 

Congratulations Kevin, and we hope to hear much more of the Reflux Classifier in the future.