Professor Sun Chuanyao: 1944-2025

Sad news in from China of the death on August 21st of Prof. Sun Chuanyao, one of the intellectual giants of mineral processing in modern China. He played a key role with Professors Wang Dianzuo and Han Long in the organisation of the impressive XXIV IMPC Congress in Beijing in 2008 and served on the IMPC Council from 2008-2016.

With Han Long and Sun Chuanyao in Santiago, Chile, 2013

He obtained his bachelor’s degree in mineral processing from Northeast University in 1968, and later earned a master’s degree from the Beijing General Research Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (BGRIMM) in 1981. He was a long-time leader of BGRIMM. one of the sponsors of Flotation '25. He joined BGRIMM in 1981 and served as Vice-President and then President until 2007, later continuing as a senior academic/consultant.

Prof. Chuanyao was an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, was Director of Mineral Processing Academic Committee of China Mining Association, Director of Mineral Processing Technical Committee of Nonferrous Metals Society of China, and Director of State Key Laboratory of Mineral Processing.

He was a pioneer in developing groundbreaking concepts such as "genetic mineral processing", "harmonious processing", "intelligent processing", and "green processing." He advanced methods for processing complex polymetallic ores including tungsten, bismuth, molybdenum, lead-zinc, copper-nickel, lithium-beryllium-tantalum-niobium and iron. He developed new flotation theories grounded in silicate mineral crystal chemistry, significantly enhancing separation efficiency.

He led the celebrated "Shizhuyuan method", a decade-long national scientific and technological initiative that innovatively tackled complex tungsten-bismuth-molybdenum ore processing using full-flotation flows and self-developed chelating collectors, marking a major technological leap in tungsten flotation. He invented the asynchronous mixed flotation method, achieved multiple advances in Pb-Zn separation techniques, introduced electrochemical control in flotation engineering, and pioneered flotation of low-grade lithium ores.

His passing concluded a remarkable career that profoundly shaped modern mineral processing in China. His pioneering work continues to define the direction of mineral processing in China and beyond.