My first SME Annual Meeting was in 1987 in Denver, and this year's meeting (MINEXCHANGE 2025) was my 11th in Denver and my 22nd overall. MEI was proud to be associated with the event as a media partner.
This great networking event is always enhanced by associated symposia, and this year it included a symposium in honour of Prof. Komar Kawatra, of Michigan Technological University, the Editor-in-Chief of Mineral Processing & Extractive Metallurgy Review journal. Also running in parallel this year was the one and a half day World Gold 2025 and the total number of registered delegates was 7050.
These two symposia added to the already myriad parallel sessions over the three days, so as always I will not be reporting on the technical sessions- the following is my diary of encounters with people, mainly mineral processing people, particularly in the huge exhibition, with 602 companies represented.
Sunday February 23rd
Due to the associated World Gold the three-hour Exhibition Reception opened earlier than in previous years, but entering was very much déjà vu as dominating the entrance was, as always, the FLSmidth (FLS) display, with Metso close by, two huge companies who are current sponsors of MEI's Comminution '25 and Flotation '25.
FLS has shifted its approach in recent years from merely selling equipment to becoming a partner in optimising mining operations, offering audits to identify inefficiencies and opportunities for improvement, often uncovering substantial gains with minimal investment.
I called at the booth to talk to Himesh Patel, Lance Christodoulou and Gaurav Soni about the launch of the coarseAIR Flotation Cell for coarse particle recovery in base/precious metals and industrial mineral operations. Based on the design of the REFLUX Classifier, the coarseAIR cell comprises a low-turbulence, high-density aerated fluidised bed, reducing the probability that coarse mineral particles will travel to the tails. Inclined lamella channels effectively separate ore from gangue by leveraging the Boycott effect.
"In the face of depleting ore grades, mining companies face the prospect of processing larger volumes of material just to maintain. let alone increase, production levels", said Lance Christodoulou, Global Product Director, REFLUX Technologies. "By improving the efficiency of recovery, the coarseAIR Flotation Cell offers important support for mining companies as they seek to meet the demand for metals and minerals economically and sustainably".
"We are pleased to add the coarseAIR Flotation Cell to our line of REFLUX flotation technologies", said Lance. "These technologies, which include the REFLUX Classifier, GradePro Classifier, and REFLUX Flotation Cell, are integral to our MissionZero Mine flowsheets of the future, supporting our target to provide zero-emissions mining by 2030 through enhanced ore recovery rates, reduced energy use, and lower water consumption".
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| Himesh, Lance and Gaurav with FLS products |
Apart from the FLS products, there are a number of innovative flotation machines which will be highlighted at Flotation '25. In tomorrow's Robert E. Murray Innovation Award Lecture Jaisen Kohmuench of Eriez will describe the successful development of several new flotation technologies by Eriez over the past two decades. Early work with the Florida phosphate industry pointed to the need for a new technology for a high-capacity, coarse particle flotation cell, which resulted in the patented Eriez HydroFloat, the first-ever fluidised-bed flotation cell. Subsequent work in the sulfide industry highlighted the potential of coarse particle flotation to reduce power consumption, increase capacity, and reduce fine tailings generation. Similar work was undertaken to revolutionise fine particle flotation, developed by the need to recover ultrafine material in the U.S. coal industry. Eriez worked collaboratively with producers, universities, engineering companies, and consultants to develop a high-rate, compact flotation machine. The resulting StackCell technology has been successfully implemented in multiple industrial applications around the world. Eriez ia also a sponsor of Flotation '25 and the Eriez team are shown below with Jaisen 3rd left.
Metso launched the first of its Concorde Cell high-intensity pneumatic flotation units in Africa last year. The Concorde Cell flotation technology is designed to improve the recovery of fine and ultra-fine particles when processing finely disseminated and complex ore grades, as well as declining ore grades. The Concorde Cell provides a very high shear environment with increased bubble surface area flux, which ensures faster flotation kinetics. It features improved froth recovery and selectivity, while forced air allows wider process control and stability for further flotation optimisation,
I called in at the Metso booth to talk to the team and view their array of process equipment models. In October 2024 Metso invested in the development of energy-saving comminution technology and signed an agreement to acquire the outstanding shares of its long-term partner Swiss Tower Mills Minerals AG (STM). STM, based in Baden, Switzerland, specialises in vertical grinding mill solutions. It is best known for the HIGmill grinding mill, which has been exclusively sold and serviced by Metso. This technology is integral to the development of energy-efficient comminution processes, for example, in combination with Metso HRCTMe high-pressure grinding rolls. Over the years of cooperation, the use of vertical grinding mill technology has seen significant growth, and the trend is expected to continue.
Metso's Concorde Cell is an invention of Prof. Graeme Jameson, and his latest invention is the NovaCell, licensed to Jord International, Australia and I called in at their booth to meet the team, who were talking to Adam Johnston of Transmin Metallurgical Consultants, UK.
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| The Jord team with Adam Johnston (2nd left) |
The NovaCell can recover mineral particles over a wide particle size range, from the lower limit of flotation to an upper limit which depends on the liberation characteristics of the ore. In a single device, the collection of the fines and the coarse particles takes place in separate environments. The finest particles are contacted with bubbles in a high-energy aerator, while the coarse particles are captured by bubbles in the gentle environment in a fluidised bed. Jord will be profiling the NovaCell at Flotation '25.
In the next booth the team from Woodgrove Technology, Canada, were talking to James Bromstein and Jolene Baker, of Ghost Solutions, USA, about Woodgrove's innovative flotation technology, the Staged Flotation Reactor (SFR), which was developed by going back to the first principles of flotation and examining how best to optimise the various phases of flotation without preconceived constraints. The result was a machine that optimises the three stages of flotation within three separate zones, such that each zone is mutually exclusive from the requirements of the other zones. Froth drop back is minimal and tightly controlled. The constrained froth recovery zone allows for much better level control in a scavenger SFR, resulting in better recovery and upgrading.
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| The Woodgrove team with James and Jolene (3rd and 4th left) |
I also looked in at the booth of Flotation '25 sponsor GoldOre to talk to Adrian Singh, founder and CEO, who produces another innovative flotation machine. The GoldOre MACH REACTOR, a hydrodynamic cavitation device, which harnesses the power of cavitation, is the only high shear/cavitating device currently on the market that is completely self-aspirating, allowing it to be operated without a pressurised gas supply. The self-aspiration aspect, combined with the comparatively lower power draw, makes it particularly suitable to projects where power costs are high, or power is self-generated.
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| Adrian Singh with Liam Gilbride, of Ruby Barickman, USA |
The greatest innovations in mineral processing in recent years are not confined to flotation and comminution. Sensor-based sorting must rank very highly, in helping to achieve reduced energy and water consumption in flowsheets. I was pleased to call in to talk to Kai Bartram, Global Sales Director of TOMRA Mining, Germany, a world leader in sensor based sorting, responsible for developing and engineering cutting edge technology made to withstand harsh mining environments. He talked about TOMRA's latest AI-powered ore sorting, OBTAIN, which revolutionises ore sorting by enabling precise detection and classification of individual particles, even when clustered. Sensor- based sorting is effectively making dense medium separation obsolete and TOMRA Sorters will be used to pre-concentrate tin ore at the South Crofty tin mine in Cornwall when it reopens in 2027. Kai bemoaned the fact that MEI's Physical Separation '26 will be in Cape Town, and not in Cornwall as in the past, the reason being problems associated with Brexit!
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| With Kai (left) and the TOMRA team |
AI will play an increasingly important role in mining and mineral processing and I was pleased to see Starla Jackson, who was marketing manager with FLSmidth for 12 years until 2020 and is now marketing coordinator with Eclipse Mining Technologies, USA. She described the company's SourceOne which can handle data in multiple formats and integrate data from multiple vendors and sources. This versatility allows users to consolidate and manage data from different technologies, streamlining the integration process.
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| Starla (2nd right) with her Eclipse Mining colleagues |
It's always good to see the team from Derrick Corporation, a family-owned company that designs and manufactures screening equipment and screen surfaces. The company is a sponsor of Comminution '25 later this month.
Finally, on leaving the exhibition I was pleased to catch up with Osvaldo Bascur, of OSB Digital, USA and to congratulate him on being elected as a member of the National Academy of Engineering. Election to the NAE is one of the highest professional honors accorded an engineer. NAE members are among the USA's most knowledgeable engineering experts and have distinguished themselves in business and academic management, in technical positions, as university faculty, and as leaders in government and private engineering organisations. Osvaldo was recognised for applying phenomenological modeling techniques in mineral processing and process plant performance. He was with Paula Whittaker, of The Woodlands, USA. They will both be at Flotation '25, after which they will be on safari in Botswana.
Monday February 24th
MINEXCHANGE 2024 got off to a great start this morning with two high profile lectures.
The Robert E. Murray Innovation Award was established in 2017 to recognise individuals or organisations who advance the mining industry through the implementation of technical innovation. I was pleased to see that this year's recipient was Eriez Flotation Division, as the company is a regular sponsor of MEI's flotation conferences.
The award lecture was given by Jaisen Kohmuench, who reviewed the past two decades of development by Eriez showing the great benefits of industrial partnership. We will hear much more on these developments at Flotation '25 in November.
We can also expect to hear much about artificial intelligence at Comminution '25 and Flotation '25. AI was the subject of the keynote lecture this morning, delivered by Terry Jones, Author, Global Business Executive, who showed how the integration of AI in the mining industry is revolutionising traditional practices, enhancing efficiency, safety, and sustainability. He showed that ultimately AI represents a transformative force in mining, promising to drive innovation while addressing environmental concerns and operational challenges in an increasingly competitive market.
In the exhibit hall it was great to catch up with Katja Freitag and Robert Seitz, who represent Canada and USA with Metcelerate. Metcelerate, a sponsor of Comminution '25 and Flotation '25, is a workplace-based program which provides metallurgists with crucial in-plant training, helping them build practical knowledge, make more informed decisions, and create value for themselves and their sponsoring organisations.
Also very much involved with Comminution '25 and Flotation '25 is Chris Greet, who I caught up with in the Magotteaux booth. Chris is a Principal Consultant at Mineralis Consultants, Australia, and is now part-time at Magotteaux as a Global Mineral Processing Specialist. He will be presenting a paper at Comminution '25 and he is a keynote lecturer at Flotation '25, where he will discuss the bridging of the gap between comminution and flotation.
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| Chris Greet (2nd left) at the Magotteaux booth |
International Mining is a media partner to all MEI Conferences and it is always good to see the owners each year, Paul Moore and Phil Playle. As well as producing the high quality trade magazine, both hard copy and online, they also run a highly successful annual conference, The Electric Mine, for all companies involved in the mine electrification transition, showcasing future-proofed solutions that will enable mining companies to achieve their interim and final emission targets by 2050. The next event is in Santiago, Chile from 13-15 May, 2025.
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| Phil and Paul |
I am grateful to Ravi Rajshekar for inviting me to the Hexion booth, as this is a company new to me, although it was founded over 150 years ago. They are intending to use their vast experience in chemical manufacture to introduce new flotation collectors and depressants, to improve productivity and reduce treatment costs in the mining industry. Their intention is to profile their new reagents at Flotation '25.
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| Ravi Rajshekar (2nd right) with Hexion colleagues |
Moving on, it was good to see the University of Utah's Xuming Wang, with two of the University's mining students.
Founded in 2008, in Somerset Pennsylvania, Somerset International is a company that specialises in mineral processing, tailings management, and water treatment for the mining industry. Founded by individuals with decades of experience in the mining and minerals industries, using technology that can transform waste streams into value, they now have offices in the United States, Australia, and Canada.
After an interesting morning, after lunch I looked in on the Mineral Processing Division (MPD) Plenary session to see the winners of this year's prestigious MPD awards.
The Antoine M. Gaudin Award to Prof. Zhenghe Xu of the University of Alberta, Canada.
The Robert H. Richards Award to Dr. Jaisen Kohmuench of Flotation '25 sponsor Eriez, USA.
The Milton E. Wadsworth Award to Prof. Michael L. Free of University of Utah, USA
Congratulations to all three recipients.
Later in the afternoon it was great to see Janine Herzig and her husband Chris Sykes, a mining engineer with MetVal Consulting, Australia. Janine is Convenor of the MetPlant Conference Series and is Executive President and Director of CEEC International, MEI's industry advocate to Comminution '25, where she will be co-chairing the first of the technical sessions.
And as I was leaving the convention centre I met up with Mike Battersby and Steve Flatman, of Welsh company Maelgwyn Mineral Services (MMS), sponsors of all MEI's flotation and comminution conferences. They were with Juan Van der Merwe and Wiehan Botes of MMS Africa, based in Randburg, South Africa.
MMS has recently been receiving an increasing number of inquiries from North America for its Aachen Shear reactors and are currently progressing these with several gold mining companies. MINEXCHANGE and the World Gold symposium have provided a useful forum to do this and and also to keep up with recent technology trends. Maelgwyn were also keen to meet new clients that are interested in scavenging base metals particularly copper fines from their existing mechanical cells using MMS's patented Imhoflot G-Cells, which work particularly well in this application due to the additional rotational forces created by the tangential feed inlets.
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| Steve, Mike, Juan and Wiehan |
And many thanks to those who stopped me today to say hello:
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| Mohammad Rezaee and Chandima Subasinghe, PhD students at Penn State University College, USA, and Tushar Gupta, Mountain Pass Mine, USA |
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With Ernest Konadu-Yiadom, Student Colorado SOM;
Segun Oladele and Patrick Abban Sapong, Penn State University College, USA |
Tuesday February 25th
In all the years that I have attended the SME Annual Meetings this is the first time that the exhibition finished on the Tuesday, so I made the most of the day.
My first stop was the ThermoFisher Scientific booth, to talk to Thomas Strombotne and Erin Farrar about their potential involvement in Process Mineralogy '26, which will be held in Sitges, Spain in November next year. The company was a sponsor of Process Mineralogy '18 in Cape Town and exhibited at Process Mineralogy '24.
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| ThermoFisher Scientific, Thomas and Erin 3rd and 4th left |
I looked in at the giant ME Elecmetal booth, to thank the team for their sponsorship of Comminution '25.
It was good to talk to Paul Gallagher and Diego Rubio of Roytec Global, Canada. Roytec represents the Beijing General Research Institute for Mining & Metallurgy (BGRIMM), offering Western clients access to BGRIMM flotation technology, backed up with Roytec’s local support, service and spares. Very recently BGRIMM announced the world's first 800m³ flotation machine, which I am sure we will hear about at Flotation '25, where Roytec will be exhibiting.
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| With Diego and Paul |
I had lunch in the exhibition area, and was surprised and pleased to see Roger Sawyer sharing the same table. It is 15 years since I last saw Roger, at the SME Annual Meeting in Phoenix. He was a fellow concentrator metallurgist at Nchanga in 1969, but our paths crossed only briefly as he left Zambia in 1970. We reminisced a little about the Copperbelt and the people that we still keep in touch with and the many who are now no longer with us. When we last met he was with Rio Tinto, a principal advisor on mineral processing technology and innovation. He is now a self-employed metallurgical consultant and. although a Brit like me, is based in a beautiful part of the USA, Park City in Utah, where I once had a memorable day's skiing.
One of the Nchanga names that cropped up was Willem Duyvesteyn, who I did not really know as he was Assistant Superintendent on the Leach Plant, and I was on the Concentrator. But it was a surprise to meet his daughter, Saskia Duyvesteyn, who was with my old friend Courtney Young, Professor of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering at Montana Tech. Saskia, like my daughter Amanda, was born in Zambia and she is now Chief Advisor Copper R&D with Rio Tinto Kennecott in Salt Lake City.
Taking a short break from the convention centre it was great to catch up with Corale and Jim Brierley, two of the world's most eminent biohydrometallurgists, who we were privileged to have with us at Biohydromet '14 in Falmouth, Corale delivering a keynote presentation, and Jim one of the panel members in the final discussion on the future of biohydrometallurgy. Corale and Jim were the subject of one of my MEI interviews in 2014 and Corale served on the Editorial Board of Minerals Engineering when I was Editor-in-Chief.
It was also good to see Richard Merwin, Chairman of Eriez Magnetics, who was with Luis Roman, Technical Processing Superintendent with Anglo American's Quellaveco Mine, Peru.
Back in the Convention Centre I spent a pleasant hour at the student poster session, talking to some of the 602 students attending the convention.
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| Mineral Processing PhD students from Michigan Technical University |
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| With Montana Tech PhD student Isaac Joseph Cobbinah |
And that was essentially the end of my time at MINEXCHANGE 2025, apart from a pleasant hour at the evening International Reception, attended by many of the 977 non-American delegates. where I was pleased to see Natalie Shackleton and Shani Engelbrecht, of AECI Mining, South Africa. AECI are sponsors of Flotation '25 and sponsored last year's Process Mineralogy '24 and Critical Minerals '24.
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| With Shani and Natalie |
It was also good to meet Bona Lim, Researcher, and Kylie Blackwell, Group Lead, in the Gold Technology Group at WA School of Mines, Kalgoorlie, Australia.
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| With Bona and Kylie |
And also good to talk to Wendy Tian, of Ausenco, Canada and Laurie Reemeyer of Resourceful Paths, Canada.
Finally, thanks to those who stopped to say hello today:
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| With Oznur Onel, of Ecolab/Nalco Water, USA and Zacharias Agioutantis of University of Kentucky |
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With Sabinus Essel of University of Nevada-Reno and Bowen Li, of Michigan Tech |
It has been a great 3-days at MINEXCHANGE 2025 and I look forward to MINEXCHANGE 2026, which will be in Salt Lake City, February 22-25, 2026.
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