2024 MEI Young Person's Award to Arjun Pukkella

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Arjun Pukkella is the recipient of the 2024 MEI Young Person's Award. Arjun, who will be 35 years old in August, was nominated by Prof. Jan Cilliers, of Imperial College, UK and his PhD supervisor at Imperial College, Dr. Kathryn Hadler, who is now Director of the European Space Resources Innovation Centre in Luxembourg and a former editor of International Journal of Mineral Processing. The nominations were supported by Dr. Sivakumar Subramanian, Principal Scientist, Tata Consultancy Services, India.

Arjun graduated with distinction in 2013 from the Andhra University College of Engineering, India with a BTech in Chemical Engineering, after which he carried out research on CFD modelling of algal bio‑reactors at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, for an ME in Chemical Engineering.

He was then employed as a researcher at the Tata Research Development and Design Centre, Pune, from 2015-2021, in the process intensification area by using CFD modelling for enhanced gravity classifiers, mixing tanks and hydrocyclones, being Star Performer of the Year, Physical Sciences Research area in 2018. During this time, he published seven papers and was named on several patents.

Arjun Pukkella recently completed his PhD after four years at Imperial College London. He started out during Covid, and had to spend the first period at home in India, where he prepared an excellent review of dry separation processes, now published in Minerals Engineering.  He demonstrated a novel way of comparing equipment by plotting their cutsize against capacity, so illustrating areas of applicability. This easily identified research gaps.

His PhD project at Imperial College focused on particle size classification using cyclones, both gas and hydrocyclones, continuing to develop his expertise in this field. From his early PhD work, he published a review paper on technology for size classification with a focus on dry size classification, containing a novel graphical analysis of technology selection. He then undertook research on cyclone shape and classification performance, with an aim to increase cut size and reduce bypass. This was carried out using a combination of CFD simulation and experimental research. 

In a major breakthrough, to understand the reason for his simulations not matching experimental results, Arjun found that a critical factor was cyclone surface roughness. This was shown first in simulations, and then used to explain the changing performance in industrial hydrocyclones over time. Overall his PhD resulted in four papers, with a fifth being under review. This is impressive for any PhD.

In addition to the simulation and laboratory work, Arjun worked with Metso and Anglo American during his PhD on an industrial project. By combining CFD simulation and 3D printing, he developed and tested experimentally a hydrocyclone design that significantly reduced bypass, with an increase in cutsize. This increases capacity in closed circuit milling, and reduces overgrinding. So exciting were these findings that a new hydrocyclone based on his work was developed and is being marketed by Metso as the MHC Curved Bottom Hydrocyclone. A paper on this was presented at the recent Comminution '25 conference, co-authored by Metso, Anglo American, and Arjun and Jan Cilliers. 

Metso has now employed Arjun, who takes up a position as Senior Computational Fluid Dynamics Engineer at the Espoo headquarters in Finland in mid-April.

Arjun is dedicated to advancing mineral processing using numerical and experimental approaches, in addition to designing  novel physical separation equipment. He has made a positive impact on the industry and is a very worthy recipient of the award.

Reactions to Comminution '25

Comminution '25 finished a week ago in Cape Town. It is always good to receive feedback from delegates and there is no better platform for receiving views and photographs than LinkedIn. So, many thanks to all those who shared their thoughts and pictures, which are shown below. A full set of MEI photos is also available for download.

Nayara Tarin, Russell Mineral Equipment, Australia

After two incredible weeks in South Africa, it’s time to head home!

As a Brazilian, I felt an instant connection with the people; the warmth, the energy, and the vibrant culture made me feel right at home. I had my very first mine site visit, finally met my amazing colleagues from the South African office in person, and gained valuable insights from our brilliant sales team.

It was also a joy to see so many fellow Brazilians at the comminution conference, and to witness how this global event truly embraces and celebrates African culture.

Thank you to everyone who made this journey so special. I’m deeply grateful for the experience and I hope to see you all again very soon!

Navara (centre) at the RME dinner at Cape Point Vineyards

Joe and Travis Felix, CiDRA, South Africa

Great Experience at Comminution '25! Attending Comminution ‘25 was insightful, with cutting-edge discussions on mineral processing, grinding efficiency and sustainability. It was great connecting with industry leaders and exploring new innovations.

Thanks to the organizers for hosting such a great event, as always, and everyone who shared their expertise! 

Let’s keep the conversation going.

Joe Felix (right) in the CiDRA booth

Jean Makola, Steinert, Germany

I had the incredible opportunity to attend the MEI Conference Comminution 25 in Cape Town this week, where industry leaders and innovators gathered to discuss the future of comminution. The conversation centered around the urgent need to adopt advanced technologies that can significantly reduce energy consumption, enhance metal recovery, improve grade, and increase throughput while addressing debottlenecking challenges.

One of the most striking facts shared during the conference was that grinding mills consume approximately 2% of the world’s total energy supply, with studies showing that around 90% of this energy is wasted as heat, friction, and noise. This statistic highlights the critical need for innovation in mining processes. The potential to apply innovative technologies not only promises to lower energy consumption but also offers a pathway to more sustainable operations, whilst maximizing shareholders' profits. You can have it all! 

The conference made it clear that collaboration and knowledge sharing are essential. The integration of ore sorting, HPGR, coarse flotation, among other technologies in grinding circuit will optimize operations leading to groundbreaking improvements in efficiency. 

By embracing these technologies, we can significantly reduce our carbon footprint and ensure a more sustainable future for the mining industry.

Jean Makola (right) with Steinert colleagues

ARC Centre of Excellence for Enabling Eco-Efficient Beneficiation of Minerals, Australia

Researcher PhD Carolina Carvajal Gutierrez and other COEMinerals members have been sharing how Australian research and newly invented technologies are improving mineral processing at the 14th International Comminution Symposium in South Africa.

Carolina commented: "The conference has been fantastic. Lots of insights and great discussions. Attending COEMinerals members are grateful for the opportunity and support from the Centre!"

COEMinerals is helping to reduce ultrafine particles, maximise mineral recovery while minimising waste, water, energy and emissions:

Carolina's session focused on micromechanics of minerals by nanoindentation.

Dr Richmond K. Asamoah's research contributed to multiple poster presentations, including: selective comminution for upgrading nickel and cobalt in nickel laterite ores

Mark Drechsler introduced new GRolls technology, being co-developed by COEMinerals and GRolls, which could one-day replace the energy-intensive crushing and grinding methods used today

Carolina (The University of Queensland) is pictured alongside Dr Richmond K. Asamoah (University of South Australia), PhD Mark Drechsler (UniSA) and Flávio Pereira André (UQ)

Thanks for a great event MEI Conferences, Barry Wills, Prof Aubrey Mainza and event sponsors, partners and advocates

Abraham Kabinga, Barrick Gold, Zambia

Today marks the successful conclusion of the Comminution '25 Conference held in Cape Town, South Africa, an incredibly informative and well-balanced event that brought together industry professionals to discuss innovations, challenges, and advancements in the field. The diverse range of presentations provided valuable insights, fostering meaningful discussions and collaboration. 

I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to the Barrick Lumwana Process Team for the opportunity to attend this exceptional conference. Additionally, a special thank you to the MEI Team, Barry, Amanda, Jon, and all the sponsors whose dedication and hard work made this event possible. Your efforts in organizing such impactful conferences play a vital role in advancing our industry. 

It was a privilege to be part of this gathering, and I look forward to applying the knowledge gained while continuing to engage with this dynamic community.

Kings Beads Ltd, China

Thrilled to attend the long-anticipated MEI's Comminution '25 Conference in Cape Town. Without any doubt, it is again an international top-ranking gathering of around 230 peers from both academic and industrial backgrounds. 

Our Technical Service Manager Johan Steyn presented a paper titled Does Specific Gravity of Media Have Much Effect on Process Efficiency?. which sparked re-thinking on how much energy is efficiently transferred from ceramic beads to the IsaMill and if there is room for further enhancing milling efficiency. 

Kings Beads bounced ideas with knowledgeable professionals on ceramic media and ultrafine grinding, and on how to positively contribute to greener mining practice through collaborative efforts in lowering the carbon footprint. 

The last technical session on the 3rd afternoon, co-hosted by our Technical Director Alex Wang and Prof. Aubrey Mainza from University of Cape Town, centred around modelling, simulation, and practical practice improvement for ultrafine grinding applications, which will undoubtedly take the industry further down the road towards a more innovative, and energy efficient future for the mining industry. 

Kings Beads is excited to be proactively working side by side with the academic and industrial experts for greener and sustainable mining practices. We will look forward to seeing you again at Comminution '27 in Cape Town, South Africa. 

The King's Beads booth

Darius G Wonyen, ArcelorMittal, Canada

This week at Comminution '25 in Cape Town, I had the incredible opportunity to share a few comminution perspectives on the oxide and transitions ore of the Nimba Western Range, in Liberia. The topic was on optimizing semi-autogenous grinding mills for oxide and transition ores, using comminution testing and DEM modeling. It was an honor to connect with world-class scientists, industry leaders, fellow processing engineers, and equipment developers. What interested me most was the unique balance between academic research and industry development during the technical sections. With the ambitious goal of a 15 Mtpa concentrator project in Liberia, integrating advanced comminution techniques is critical for maximizing the productivity of crushing and grinding circuits. The insights gained from Comminution '25 are directly applicable to ArcelorMittal Liberia's operations, fostering innovation and improvements in efficiency. I gained a lot of meaningful experiences, insight and connections directly applicable to our 15 Mtpa concentrator project in Liberia.

For the first time, I met Barry Wills, the author of Wills' Mineral Processing Technology, which has been a cornerstone in our field and an inspiration throughout my journey in mineral processing. I also had the pleasure of interacting with Professor Aubrey Mainza , a prolific researcher in Comminution at the University of Cape Town, whose insights into mineral processing are truly invaluable.

Moreover, I engaged with John Russell, the founder of Russell Mineral Equipment, further expanding my network and understanding of industry innovations. I walked away with new skills and meaningful connections that will be instrumental for our 15 mtpa concentrator project in Liberia.

A heartfelt thank you to MEI Conferences for organizing such impactful events and to ArcelorMittal Liberia and ArcelorMittal for their unwavering support. I am excited about the opportunity to apply what I've learned and contribute to advancements in our field! 

Eyüp Altuncu, FKK Mining, Türkiye

What an incredible experience attending my first MEI Conference, Comminution '25 in Cape Town! It was an honor to represent FKK Mining at such a prestigious event, where we had a successful presentation and an amazing time connecting with industry professionals.

A heartfelt thank you to Prof. Dr. Ersin Yener Yazıcı and Prof. Dr. Oktay Celep for joining me at this event. Your presence made this experience even more valuable. I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to Cherylyn Russell and John Russell for their warm hospitality and their highly professional team for their invitation.

A special thanks to Barry Wills, Jon Wills and Amanda Wills for organizing such a fantastic conference. Your dedication to the industry is truly inspiring.

Lastly, a big thank you to all the visitors who stopped by our booth! It was a pleasure meeting you and discussing exciting opportunities in comminution and mining. Looking forward to the next one! 

Eyüp in the Vineyard gardens

Andres Kuusmaa, Sibelco, Estonia

My first time at the MEI Conference, focused on comminution, and in South Africa has been a great experience. I’ve met many new people, made valuable connections and learned a lot from many great presentations. This event has given me fresh ideas and perspectives, making it both interesting and rewarding to be here.

Mark Drechsler, University of South Australia, Australia

Just completed two presentations on our GRolls crushing technology at Comminution '25. Also chaired a session this morning including a great presentation by Harshita Gupta from BHP on the Comminution Challenge of which GRolls was one of 12 in the cohort.

Great feedback from the industry on our technology and areas/risks to investigate further during our scaleup plans. My second talk set out to challenge myself in my PhD but also the industry, the feedback I got suggested I succeeded in generating interest and thoughtful discussion. Many thanks to Sedgman Pty Limited and Ryan Bracey for helping us identify our strengths and develop a theoretical flowsheet using GRolls for early gangue rejection strategies that challenges conventional SABC flowsheets. And thanks to Grant Ballantyne for the constructive comments to make sure the difficult "comparing apples with apples" criteria we all use are consistent across the industry.

A very worthwhile conference to attend, well done Barry Wills, Amanda Wills and Jon Wills. Thank you ARC Centre of Excellence for Enabling Eco-Efficient Beneficiation of Minerals (COEMinerals) for supporting my PhD and attendance at the conference.

Happiness Nesvinga, Nesch Mintech Tanzania Limited, Tanzania

We are thrilled to represent Nesch Mintech Laboratory at the International Comminution Symposium for MEI in Cape Town, South Africa. This globally renowned event brings together pioneers, innovators, and thought leaders in the field of mineral processing and comminution.

Being part of this prestigious conference is not just an honor but also a testament to our commitment to advancing cutting-edge solutions in the industry. We are excited to engage in insightful discussions, explore groundbreaking technologies, and collaborate with the best minds in the field.

I had the incredible privilege of meeting and taking a picture with Barry Wills at the conference! It was truly inspiring to engage with one of the great minds in our field, sharing insights and discussing the future of mining and mineral technology. At Nesch Mintech Tanzania limited Laboratory, we are constantly striving to innovate and lead in this space, and moments like these remind us of the power of collaboration and knowledge-sharing. Here's to pushing boundaries together

Ekin Güngör, Maelgwyn Mineral Services Ltd, UK

This week, I had the privilege of attending Communition ’25 organized by MEI Conferences with our Managing Director Michael Battersby, our GM Steve Flatman and my colleague Max Gerke, Pr Eng. I was able to forget the sadness of being away from our loved ones during the holiday, as I had the opportunity to follow the innovations in the grinding world closely and meet new people from the industry. 

I also had the opportunity to learn a lot from the workshop events I attended. I would also like to thank CEEC International for encouraging us to think about the continuity of innovation and more energy efficient mining of the future with their informative and entertaining event.

Ekin with Steve Flatman

Bjorn Dierx, Weir Minerals, USA

Thanks MEI Conferences for the hospitality and for the opportunity to present in the stunning Cape Town.

Huyser Industries, South Africa

MEI Conferences and all involved pulled off yet another world class Comminution '25 event. It has always been astonishing to try and fathom the body of work conducted by academics and professionals in this immensely important industrial field.

Congrats and respect to everyone in attendance !

Best wishes to all colleagues, presenters, organisers and venue Vineyard Hotel, Cape Town.

Onwards, forwards! Special thanks to @globalmettech & @RSGinc. for letting us hang out.

Stone Three, South Africa

Our Head of Business Development, Carl Rohwer, proudly represented Stone Three at Comminution ’25.

Carl shared, "It was a pleasure reconnecting with familiar faces and building new relationships with suppliers, clients, and researchers at the recent MEi Comminution Conference in Cape Town".

Let’s keep the conversation going and continue transforming how we approach automation in comminution circuits.

Carl Rohwer (left) at the Grintec Magotteuax booth

Harshita Gupta, BHP, Australia

What an awesome experience being in South Africa for the first time, for the MEI Conferences! I look forward to the many connections and continuing the conversation. Thank you to all of those I interacted with during my short visit!

Harshita Gupta (front right)

Daniel Cordeiro Silva, UFMG, Brazil

Closing my participation in Comminution '25, in addition to presenting my research, the congress provided valuable insights into the latest innovations in the field, facilitated the establishment of some leads, and opened doors to potential academic partnerships. The exchange of experiences with other professionals reinforced the importance of integrating technology and traditional processes for the sustainable advancement of mining.

Daniel Cordeiro Silva (2nd right)

Molycop, USA

And that’s a wrap on Comminution 2025 in Cape Town!

A big thank you to everyone who stopped by Stand #21, attended our sessions, or connected with us throughout the event. It’s been an incredible few days of innovation, collaboration, and forward-thinking conversations.

From diving into machine learning applications in milling to exploring next-gen methods for evaluating grinding media performance, our team has been proud to contribute to the future of mineral processing.

We’re especially grateful for the opportunity to engage with so many brilliant minds across the industry- your insights and enthusiasm continue to inspire our work.

Let’s keep the momentum going. If you didn’t get a chance to connect during the event, feel free to reach out- we’re always keen to collaborate and explore new ways to drive efficiency and value in comminution.Molycop - Progress Together.

Nathan Flaman, I-ROX, UK

Last week I was in Cape Town to provide an update on I-ROX’s latest technical achievements at Comminution '25 - a wonderful event organised by MEI Conferences. I’m really proud of the incredible progress our team in Toulouse has made over the past year - and it was fantastic to share this with so many of the world’s leading comminution experts.

It was also great to reconnect with old friends and make new ones. It was my first time in Cape Town - and hiking Table Mountain and visiting the wineries were great opportunities to strengthen relationships. Thank you to all or the organizers, sponsors and attendees for a wonderful week.

Nathan Flaman

Kagiso Molefe, Multotec, South Africa

Comminution '25 was a success, thank you MEI Conferences for putting this Conferences together for us, and Multotec Group of Companies for enabling us to attend. Knowledge sharing on innovations and problem solving is key in our industry.

Kasigo Molefe

Conundrum, UK

April kicked off on an exciting note as Conundrum joined industry leaders at Comminution '25 in beautiful Cape Town! 

We were proud to sponsor this leading event in the mineral processing world, and our CEO Mat Matthews held it down at the Conundrum booth, connecting with peers, sharing insights, and diving into the future of comminution.

Big thanks to the organisers at MEI Conferences for putting together such a great event!

Ignatius Dozy Mahatmanto Budi, Freeport Indonesia, Indonesia

On March 31st-April 3rd, 2025, my colleague, Pak Kyle Wiese, and I attended Comminution'25 conference held by MEI Conferences in Cape Town, South Africa. 

It was an eye-opening conference in comminution technologies that could be summarized in three main parts:

1. Environmental and safety

Modern engineering designs were presented to maximize comminution performance, minimize carbon emission, and improve safety aspect.

2. Mechanical and electrical

Mining industries are heading to have a simple design with minimum ancillary requirements. In addition, design innovation also need to consider integration complexities at mine processing plant. Therefore, sufficient TRL is needed.

3. Processing technologies

Novel technologies for higher throughput are needed. With some technologies are considered still in early stage, further adoption process is need to be investigated.

Thank you for the opportunity and looking forward to next conference ahead!

New book: Biological Metal Recovery from Wastewaters

This book, edited by Sabrina Hedrich, of TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Germany and Oliver Wiche, of Görlitz University of Applied Sciences, Germany, reviews the latest research on innovative and sustainable biotechnologies for metal recovery from various process streams, emphasising the fundamentals and applications of biosystems. 

Divided into 7 chapters, it clarifies many topics including biological iron and aluminum recovery from wastewaters, precious metal recovery (Pt, Pd, Au, Ag), algal-based metal recovery, selenium and tellurium recovery, phytoextraction options, and arsenic removal by sulfate-reducing bacteria. 

Expert contributors explore microbial metabolisms such as iron oxidation, sulfate/sulfur reduction, and selenite reduction through the lens of environmental sustainability. The book contains various case studies and commercial applications of these biotechnologies. Particular attention is given to combinations of biological systems with electrochemistry to enhance metal recycling from complex and diluted streams.

The book is a valuable resource for researchers in the field of environmental biotechnology, and scholars of environmental science, chemical engineering and microbiology.  Waste management and resource recovery professionals will benefit from the insights provided. The book is a must-read for anyone interested in sustainable solutions for critical metal supply within a circular economy framework.

Thursday at Comminution '25

Thursday 3rd April

A busy final day with 17 papers, commencing with a presentation from Chris Greet, of Magotteaux, Australia, a familiar face at all MEI's comminution and flotation conferences. 

Chris was one of 8 delegates from Magotteaux, who regularly sponsor the comminution and flotation series. Their 8-strong team included five representatives from Australia, Belgium, and South Africa and three from Grintec Magotteaux Ceramic Technology, China.

Magotteaux representatives talking to Carl Rohwer of Stone Three Digital, South Africa

UK Company Maelgwyn Mineral Services is also a regular sponsor of the comminution and flotation series and Managing Director Michael Battersby presented a paper on developments on its Ro-Star ultrafine grinding mill for the company, which is represented by four delegates. 

Mike Battersby (2nd left) and his MMS team, with Ibrahim Goktas (2nd right) of Eti Bakir, Türkiye

Another regular sponsor of the comminution and flotation series is CiDRA Minerals Processing and it is always good to catch up with father and son team Joe and Travis Felix, talking below to Gregory Phiri, of ME Elecmetal, Zambia.

Delegates from LKAB, Sweden, taking a morning break

Ion Gurnett had a busy day, presenting three of the four presentations today from Glencore Technology. Ion, senior metallurgist at Glencore Technology, Australia is one of 3 representatives from Australia, with one from South Africa. They are seen below, talking to Jason Waters, of UCT MPTech, South Africa.

Regular comminution sponsor Russell Mineral Equipment, who presented two papers today,  has a big presence in the exhibition area, as always, with a team of eleven from Australia, Ghana, South Africa and UK.

A final coffee break

Global Met Tech was launched two years ago and was well known as a regular sponsor to the comminution series as Keramos. Metallurgical Account Manager Matthew Toll presented a paper today on behalf of the three delegates from Global Met Tech, Australia. 

The company is a supplier of ceramic and steel grinding media products for stirred mills and SAG /ball milling duties.  The team are shown below, talking to Nathi Mtsweni, of Senet, South Africa.

Two other sponsors providing grinding media are Sino Grinding and King's Ceramics and Chemicals, the latter specialising in ceramic beads for stirred mills. 

Chinese company Chemco Advance Material, a sponsor of Comminution '18, is also a manufacturer of ceramic micro-beads.

Sino Grinding's Rod Price and Pieter Theunissen with
Leonardo Espinoza of National University of San Augustin, Peru

Alex Wang and Junfu Wang, of King's Beads, China and Johan Steyn, King's Beads, Australia
with Howard Areington, of STM Minerals, Switzerland

Shengyu Mao and Xingkang Xu, of Chemco Advance Material,
with Mario Calvo of Electrodrives, Spain

After a long final day, Amanda Wills closed the conference, thanking all the sponsors, exhibitors, speakers and delegates for a very fruitful 4 days and inviting everyone back to Cape Town on April 19-22, 2027 for Comminution '27.

MEI is a media partner for the International Mineral Processing Congress, which will be held in the Cape Town Convention Centre from 18-22 October 2026.  MEI's comminution consultant, Prof. Aubrey Mainza, is the chairman of the organising committee and he showed a short video inviting delegates to this event, which was last held in Cape Town in 2003.

Aubrey is a prominent member of the Global Comminution Collaborative (GCC) whose members have played a major part in the conference. At Comminution '23 he presented prizes, on behalf of GCC, to the two students who were judged to have made the best overall student presentations at the conference, Tulio Campos, of Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Maximilian Tobaben, of Technische Universitat Braunschweig, Germany.

These are two remarkable young researchers, as the prizes this year were awarded once more to Tulio and Maximilian.

Tulio and Maximilian with GCC members

Then it was out into the sunshine once more for the final sundowner and to say our farewells until the next time.

The sun sets on Comminution '25

Finally, a reminder that a summary of the technical papers will be published on the blog in a couple of weeks' time. Authors of papers have also been invited to submit final manuscripts for peer-review, to a virtual special issue of Minerals Engineering.

We would greatly appreciate your views on Comminution '25.

Wednesday at Comminution '25

Wednesday 2nd April

This morning's keynote lecture was given by Grant Ballantyne, of Ausenco, Australia. who I had the pleasure of presenting the 2017 MEI Young Person's Award at Comminution '18. Grant's keynote was the first of 16 presentations during the day, which will all be summarised in a couple of weeks' time.

FLSmidth (FLS) has for many years sponsored MEI Conferences. Their team of 5 has representatives from South Africa and Australia, who are highlighting the company's cutting-edge milling solutions, including the VXPmill, a high-intensity, energy-efficient stirred mill designed for ultra-fine grinding. 

FLS representatives with Mobvya Lungu and Paul Fube of Mopani Copper Mines, Zambia

Following a long-standing relationship, an Indian mining customer has awarded FLS with the largest single order for the world’s largest size steel media tower mills. The mills are to be delivered at what is set to become one of the largest and  most efficient iron ore beneficiation plants globally, reinforcing FLS’s global leadership in energy-efficient grinding technology.

The order includes the delivery of 18 vertical FTM-5000 tower mills to be used in both the secondary and tertiary grinding circuits, directly downstream from two of the world’s largest high-pressure grinding rolls, which the customer ordered from FLS in 2024. Each of these vertical grinding mills will be the largest steel media mills ever deployed in terms of both size and capacity. In addition to these mills, the order also includes the delivery of 30 KREBS UMD pumps and 18 KREBS gMAX hydrocyclones to complete the secondary and tertiary grinding circuits’ process requirements. The slurry pumps will be the largest known size of slurry pumps in all of India mining. The equipment is expected to be installed and commissioned during 2026/2027.

Italian company Eracles - Ceramiche Tecniche have produced sinterised alumina grinding balls and mill linings called ERALOX since 1993. In 2000 the company joined the Torrecid Group and have been producing in China since 2012. Eracles first attended an MEI Conference when they sponsored Comminution '23. It is good to have them back as sponsors of Comminution '25, their three representatives shown below talking to Vivian Moutinho (left) of UFRJ, Brazil and Lindokuhle Diadla (right) of Torrecid South Africa.

CITIC Heavy Industries, formerly known as Luoyang Mining Machinery, was one of the national key construction projects of China's First Five-Year Plan. The company has experienced significant changes and improvements over the past 60 years and has grown into both a national and international innovative and high-tech enterprise, a global large-sized backbone enterprise which has one of the largest manufacturing facilities for heavy-duty equipment that supports both projects in China and overseas. CITIC HIC has been involved with three previous MEI comminution conferences, in 2014, 2016 and 2018 but only once before, at Comminution '16, as a sponsor, so we are pleased to welcome them to Comminution '25 represented by Will Yuan Xinchao and Yuanzheng Hao of China and Sam Hearn, of South Africa, seen talking below to Michael Antwi, of Gold Fields Tarkwa Mine, Ghana.

I think everyone in the mining industry is now well aware of how important sensor-based electronic sorting has become and we are pleased to have the continuing involvement of Steinert, one of the leaders in this field. Steinert sponsored two of last year's 4 MEI conferences, Physical Separation '24 and Critical Minerals '24. so it is not surprising that they are a sponsor of Comminution '25, as sorting waste rock and ore with low concentrations prior to comminution saves energy and water and enriches the grade of the ore. Steinert's ‘dual energy’ x-ray transmission (XRT) is ideally suited for ore sorting because the x-ray radiation can penetrate stones with particle sizes up to 100 mm, allowing metals to be detected, even when they are not on the surface. In addition to XRT, Steinert offers other sensors that can be combined with one another. XRF (x-ray fluorescence) can be used to determine and sort individual chemical elements very precisely and optical sorting and lasers are well suited to the detection of ores with different colours, or crystalline structures.

The representatives from Steinert, Germany, John Knouwds, Lutke Von Ketelhodt and Jean Makola

Boaz Friedland is Technical Director at Energy and Densification Systems. South African company EDS was formed in 2005 and their Multishaft Mill is designed and produced in South Africa.  The milling action combines a number of processes to provide an output product to match various specifications. These processes are crushing, milling, densifying, blending and attrition. He is seen below talking to Sherry Bremner, of the University of Cape Town.

Gebr. Pfeiffer is a family-run business with its head office in Kaiserslautern, Germany, The company has pioneered the development of modern grinding, separating, drying, slaking, and calcining technologies for more than 150 years. Christian Altherr and Caroline Woywadt, of Gebr. Pfeiffer are seen below talking to James Pownell, of FLS, Australia.

Growth Steel was established in 1989 to manufacture wear parts for grinding mills. The company's  headquarters are in North Sumatra, Indonesia but they have additional sales offices located strategically around the world. in Perth, Brisbane, South Africa, Ghana, Peru, Chile and China. This is their first time at an MEI Conference, and good to see five representatives.

Another great day of presentations ended with a welcome second sundowner in the Vineyard gardens.

The Cape Point Vineyards, stunningly situated above Noordhoek beach, was our venue after the sundowner, thanks to our sponsor Russell Mineral Equipment, who had kindly invited the MEI team to join their customers and agents at a fine dinner.

The MEI team with Cherylyn and John Russell