Flotation '25 update: short course and new keynote

Flotation is becoming of increasing importance as ore grades across the world have started to fall significantly over the past few decades. Copper is of a particular concern, since this is the most critical metal for the renewable energy sector of the future. The average copper ore grade has decreased by approximately 25% in just 10 years. In that same period, the total energy consumption has increased at a higher rate than production, 46% energy increase over 30% production increase.

The trend of declining copper grades is unlikely to be reversed and less capital intensive oxide ore bodies are being exhausted across the globe. The copper in oxide ores is soluble, allowing direct extraction through leaching rather than physical separation, while sulfide extraction is more complex, requiring froth flotation after grinding. The volume of ore sent to concentrators has risen by 44% to 1.1 billion metric tons over the past 10 years. This volume would need to increase by another 44% by 2031 to produce enough copper necessary for the global energy transition.

The demand for all minerals and metals is rising, driving the need for high-grade ore beneficiation and sustainable mining practices, boosting demand for advanced flotation chemicals such as collectors, frothers, dispersants, and depressants. With advancements in flotation chemical solutions for ore beneficiation processes, mining companies are prioritising sustainability and efficiency to enhance metal recovery rates.

Developing nations, particularly in Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Africa, are witnessing a rise in mining operations. The introduction of bio-based and eco-friendly flotation reagents is revolutionising the market, reducing the environmental footprint while maintaining performance.

Flotation '25, in Cape Town in November, will be immediately preceded by a one-day course on Flotation Chemistry:  Fundamentals and Practice delivered by the University of Queensland's Associate Professor Liza Forbes. The course will cover the crucial role of flotation reagents in mineral resource recovery, combining an accessible overview of theory and placing it in context with plant practice, with examples from real-world flotation operations.   Registration for the course is now open.

Liza is also one of the four keynote speakers at Flotation '25. She will review how flotation chemistry research has had a long history of successful innovation, from the use of simple oily reagents to the developing understanding of interfacial science to the design and implementation of sophisticated chemistries. However, Liza feels that in the last 20 years, metallurgists have become increasingly disillusioned with the discipline. The industrial approach to flotation chemistry optimisation became a search for a “silver bullet” reagent, with a string of expensive and disappointing trials. 

The high demand for “critical” metals, fuelled by the urgency to transition to renewable energy, has put increasingly more pressure on minerals processing operations. It is, therefore, imperative, says Liza, that flotation chemistry research moves beyond simple reagent trials towards a holistic approach that considers ore properties, surface chemistry, cell hydrodynamics and process water characteristics. The keynote will outline examples of such research and how they can build a more unified approach to flotation chemistry research with industrial applicability and impact. 

Flotation '25 is a conference not to be missed in this crucial period in the mining industry. As one of our other keynote speakers, Chris Greet, said in the previous update:  "I would encourage all those young and not so young mineral processors with a passion for bubbles to put their fingers to the keyboard and write an abstract for Flotation '25 in Cape Town. This conference is renowned for bringing academics and industry together to discuss the science of mineral froth flotation- an event not to be missed!"

So we encourage you to submit abstracts via the website portal, the deadline for submission being May 31st.

Due to the high level of interest in Flotation '25 the 23 booths in the exhibition area have now been allocated but we have been able to place extra 2x1m booths in the upstairs area of the conference centre, outside the room where the talks are held.

Finally a thanks to all our sponsors and our media partners, International Mining and Minerals Engineering and our industry advocate, the Critical Minerals Association. If you would like to sponsor, details are also on the website.

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