May summary: travels in Europe and sad news from Australia

Barbara and I were in Luxembourg at the beginning of the month, visiting Jon and family. Another chance to explore this beautiful small land of endless open meadows. forests and castles, and to take day trips into neighbouring Germany and Belgium.

The medieval Bourscheid castle in the Ardennes forest, Luxembourg

En route to the Nürburgring for our thrilling lap of this iconic race track, we took the opportunity of stopping off at the medieval German town of Bernkastel-Kues. straddling the Moselle.

We had an excellent lunch in the restaurant of the ruined Landshut Castle, with its fine views of the Moselle and Bernkastel-Kues.

Just across the Luxembourg border in Belgium is the small town of Bastogne, which played a major role in the Battle of the Bulge, which was pivotal in ending the war, as it was the last major German offensive campaign on the Western Front. The battle took place from December 16, 1944, to January 25, 1945, in the Ardennes region of Belgium and Luxembourg. Hitler's goal was to split the Allied forces, then capture the strategic port of Antwerp, and force a negotiated peace on the Western Front.

The Germans took advantage of poor weather, which grounded Allied air forces and launched a surprise attack through the Ardennes, a lightly defended and forested region. Bastogne was a key crossroads town and whoever controlled it had control over the major roads in the Ardennes.

Bastogne was defended by the U.S. 101st Airborne Division, along with elements of the 10th Armored Division and other units, who were resting up in the region, and on December 20, 1944, German forces surrounded the town, cutting off all supplies and reinforcements. Despite being surrounded, outnumbered, and lacking proper winter gear, the U.S. forces held firm and on December 26, General George Patton’s Third Army broke through German lines and relieved the besieged town.

Now the town has an excellent war museum and it was good to see so many school parties visiting and American flags flying in the town, showing the deep appreciation of the Belgian people to the 89,000 Americans who were killed, wounded and missing in one of the bloodiest battles of the war. Many, including General Patton, are buried in the American war cemetery outside Luxembourg City.

Bastogne War Museum

Some of the fiercest fighting took place in the Bois Jacques, near the village of Foy, just outside Bastogne in the Ardennes. This dense pine forest became a critical defensive position for the American 101st Airborne Division, who dug numerous foxholes to shield themselves from enemy fire and the brutal winter conditions, the temperature dropping well below minus 20C. The soldiers were exposed to snow, ice, and freezing rain without adequate winter clothing or shelter and limited food and medical supplies.

The German forces had occupied Foy, and the American troops were tasked with liberating the village and despite the dire conditions, the men of the 101st Airborne Division (the famous Band of Brothers) successfully recaptured Foy on January 13, 1945, after intense fighting. 

Today, the remnants of these foxholes remain visible in Bois Jacques, serving as a testament to the soldiers' resilience. In the photo below we are standing near one of the foxholes by the clearing that provided a line of sight toward the village of Foy. This open space was crucial for observing enemy movements and coordinating attacks.

The German army had around 100,000 casualties during the Battle of the Bulge and huge losses in tanks, fuel, and aircraft which they could not replace, so after the battle Germany had little left to defend the western front, hastening the Allied push into the heart of Germany and eventually to Victory in Europe (VE) Day. While we were away we missed the week of celebrations in UK marking VE Day, celebrating the formal acceptance by the Allies of Germany's unconditional surrender of its armed forces on 8th May 1945 .

And while we were away, Amanda was also on the move, initially in the Isles of Scilly for the World Gig Rowing Championships.

Amanda centre foreground in the Isles of Scilly

Then on to Spain, to hike, in 6 days, the last 120km of the Portuguese Camino, from Baiona to Santiago de Compostela.

Changing the subject completely, early in the month Zhao Xintong made history as he became the first snooker player from China to win the World Championship with an 18-12 victory over veteran Mark Williams in Sheffield. A shame in a way that World Number 1 Judd Trump didn't make it to the final, as "Chinese dominance of Trump" would have made a great headline. The other Trump was, of course, in the news this month for various reasons, including his cherished mineral deal with Ukraine. On the first of the month the US and Ukraine signed the deal giving Washington access to some of the war-torn country's natural resources. The White House said that the partnership represents the US taking an economic stake in securing a free, peaceful and sovereign future for Ukraine. The agreement could provide a windfall to the U.S. but the resources will be expensive to extract, and any progress is unlikely while the war rages.

Trump's tariffs continue to disrupt world economics. Last week, just hours before the EU and USA were set for trade talks he imposed a 50% tariff on all goods sent to the United States from the European Union, due to come into effect on Sunday, but later extended to July 9th after a "very nice" call with the European Commission chief. Analysts said it remained to be seen whether the rhetoric would turn into reality. But the news just in today is that US Trade Courts have blocked the tariffs, saying that Trump has exceeded his authority, left the US trade policy dependent on his whims and unleashed economic chaos. And so the uncertainty continues!

There was also sad news this month of the death of Annette (Annie) Ralston, wife of Prof. John Ralston.  Annie, who was a lovely lady, died in Melbourne on May 3rd after a long illness. Barbara and I first met Annie in Cape Town in 2003, and the last time that I saw John and Annie was in Melbourne in 2022.

Cape Town 2003 and Melbourne 2022

In 2018 we were pleased to host John and Annie for a few days in Cornwall, especially as Annie was a fan of the TV series Poldark. In the photo below we are outside the West Wheal Owles pumping engine house, near Land's End, which, suitably 'dressed', was Ross Poldark's 18th century Wheal Leisure.

Our heartfelt condolences to John and his family.

We returned to Cornwall to some glorious early summer weather, and nowhere better to appreciate it than a late afternoon sundowner at Falmouth's Chain Locker by the side of the inner harbour,

Now our efforts are directed to the next MEI Conference, Flotation '25 in November. The deadline for abstract submission is the end of this week, but it will be a few weeks before we put the programme together, so it is not too late to submit an abstract.

The Continuing Evolution and Growing Importance of Flotation Collectors

Flotation ’25 is shaping up to be one of MEI’s largest and most exciting conferences to date, with a record number of exhibiting companies already confirmed. We’re anticipating a packed programme of oral and poster presentations. A quick reminder: the deadline for abstract submissions is the end of this week.

We’ve received a strong stream of abstracts covering a wide range of topics, including flotation machines and circuits, innovative techniques, process optimisation, and critical minerals flotation. Many submissions focus on what is arguably the backbone of flotation—chemical reagents. In fact, two of our four keynote lectures will delve into this essential topic.

Prof. Jim Finch of McGill University, Canada, will explore “Frothers: From Fundamentals to Practice”, while Prof. Liza Forbes of JKMRC and the University of Newcastle, Australia, will present “Beyond Reagent Trials: New Directions in Flotation Chemistry Research.” In addition, Prof. Forbes will give a one-day short course prior to the conference, titled “Flotation Chemistry: Fundamentals and Practice.”

The mining flotation chemicals market is undergoing significant growth, driven by rising global demand for minerals and a recovering mining sector. As ore bodies become more complex and the demand for specific minerals increases flotation chemicals are playing an increasingly critical role. According to industry reports, the global market for mining flotation chemicals is expected to grow steadily, with emerging economies seeing particularly strong expansion.

As nations continue investing in infrastructure and urbanisation, the need for efficient mineral recovery processes grows. Advanced flotation chemicals are at the forefront of this trend, not only improving recovery rates but also helping to reduce energy use and operational costs—key priorities for mining companies aiming to optimise performance.

Asia Pacific (excluding China) remains the largest regional market for mining flotation chemicals, buoyed by active mining industries in countries such as India, Australia, and Indonesia. Australia, a major exporter of minerals, has shown especially strong demand for flotation reagents, particularly in sulfide ore processing. Meanwhile, the region's increasing emphasis on sustainable mining practices and advanced flotation technologies is expected to further accelerate growth.

Latin America is also emerging as a key growth region, led by mineral-rich countries such as Chile, Peru, and Brazil. These nations require advanced flotation techniques for the efficient processing of copper, gold, and iron ore. Flotation '25 sponsor Clariant has responded by expanding its presence in Latin America, forging new partnerships to enhance flotation efficiency in copper and gold operations.

As environmental regulations tighten and sustainability becomes a defining competitive factor, bio-based and eco-friendly collectors are quietly transforming the mining chemicals landscape. BASF, a Flotation ’25 exhibitor, has launched a new line of flotation reagents aimed at supporting sustainable mining. These products are designed to reduce harmful emissions during processing, particularly in plants operating in Australia.

Derived from natural sources such as plant oils, fatty acids, and microbial surfactants, bio-based collectors offer significant environmental advantages. Compared to traditional xanthates, long the dominant collectors in sulfide ore flotation, these alternatives are less toxic, more biodegradable, and have lower environmental persistence.

Historically, the performance of bio-based reagents has been limited by variables such as pH, mineral composition, and water chemistry. However, recent advances in chemical engineering and microbial biotechnology are addressing these challenges, paving the way for broader commercial use. What was once a purely ethical consideration is rapidly becoming a regulatory requirement. As part of its ESG commitments, conference sponsor Glencore Technology has launched a pilot program in Australia to trial biodegradable collectors in select flotation operations.

One common concern with bio-based collectors is cost. On a per-kilogram basis, they may appear more expensive than synthetic alternatives. However, a deeper economic analysis reveals a different picture. In many operations, these collectors reduce tailings toxicity, streamline post-processing, and lower water treatment expenses.

As pressure mounts for mining operations to meet ESG targets and decarbonisation goals, green flotation agents represent more than just regulatory compliance—they offer a pathway to innovation and competitive advantage.

#Flotation25

Weir and CiDRA Announce Strategic Investment and Global Collaboration Agreement

The Weir Group plc, a global leader in engineering and mining technology, and CiDRA Minerals Processing Inc., a pioneer in advanced mineral processing solutions, have announced a strategic investment and global collaboration agreement. Both companies are regular supporters of MEI Conferences, having sponsored Comminution '25 last month and CiDRA also sponsoring Flotation '25 this coming November.

MEI is pleased to hear that this new partnership will accelerate the commercialisation and global deployment of CiDRA’s groundbreaking P29 technology, a novel mineral separation platform that promises to transform traditional flowsheet design.

The agreement establishes a strategic partnership in which Weir invests in CiDRA’s mining business, and the two companies collaborate to scale and deploy P29 technology worldwide. The goal: to deliver innovative flowsheet solutions that help the mining industry address key challenges such as declining ore grades, water constraints, carbon reduction targets, and tailings safety.

CiDRA’s P29 is a revolutionary separation technology that redefines how minerals are recovered. Using proprietary engineered hydrophobic media, P29 separates and optimises key processing stages, including particle selectivity, transport, and release, independently. This enables highly selective recovery across a wide particle size range, from ultra-fine to coarse, while significantly reducing hydraulic entrainment.

Unlike conventional froth flotation, which is typically limited to particles between 100-200 microns, P29 is effective at recovering particles up to 3 mm in size. This is considerably coarser than the typical 500 microns upper size limit of Eriez's Hydrofloat cell or 2 mm with Jord's Novacell. The P29 capability allows for the direct recovery of coarse particles from the grinding circuit, reducing circulating load and increasing throughput, without the need for additional grinding capacity.

Instead of using air bubbles as in traditional flotation, P29 employs an engineered hydrophobic polymer matrix. This matrix selectively captures mineral particles based on surface properties, enabling high selectivity and low mass recovery, even for coarse, poorly liberated minerals.

P29 has already been successfully piloted in partnership with OZ Minerals at the Carrapateena Mine in South Australia. There it is being tested as a rougher step in the grinding circuit to improve throughput and recovery while reducing energy and water consumption.

Importantly, P29 is not a modified flotation process. it is a fundamentally different physical separation method. Described as a true "step-change" in mineral processing, P29 addresses the inherent limitations of flotation, especially in the recovery of coarse and low-liberated particles.

The mining community will be eager to learn more about how P29 complements and enhances grinding-flotation circuits, especially at Flotation '25, where integration strategies and performance data are expected to be shared. 

CiDRA is renowned for developing technologies that enhance recovery, improve operational efficiency, and advance sustainability in mining. Its SONARtrac flowmeter technology is widely used across the industry for non-invasive, accurate flow measurement in abrasive slurry environments, and the CYCLONEtrac system offers real-time performance monitoring at the individual hydrocyclone level, empowering operations to optimise throughput and recovery.

CiDRA’s Travis and Joe Felix discussing CYCLONEtrac and SONARtrac at Flotation '23

Expect significant interest at CiDRA’s booth at Flotation '25, where attendees will be eager to explore the potential of P29 and the company’s other cutting-edge solutions.

From podium to publication: share your work globally at MEI Conferences

The deadline for abstract submissions to Flotation '25, taking place this November in Cape Town, is the end of next week.

If your research is relevant to a global audience, an MEI Conference offers an excellent platform to present your work, with the opportunity for publication in a leading international journal.

Presentation and Publication Process

All MEI Conferences, including Flotation '25, follow the same streamlined process:

Abstract Submission: Submit a short abstract. If accepted, your work will be scheduled for either:

• An oral presentation during the technical sessions, or
• A poster presentation, displayed throughout the conference.

Extended Abstracts:

• Oral presenters are required to submit an extended abstract (short paper) prior to the conference. This will be included in the online open-access Proceedings.
• Poster presenters are encouraged, but not required, to submit a paper.

The Flotation '23 Proceedings serve as a good example. After each conference, oral presentations are summarised with links to the corresponding papers (see also the recent summary from Comminution '25).

Why Present at an MEI Conference?

• No parallel sessions: Every presentation receives full attention.
• Long breaks and social events: These provide ample opportunities for discussion, feedback, and networking.
• A friendly, focused environment encourages constructive dialogue and fresh ideas.

Post-Conference Publication

After the event, all presenters (oral and poster) are invited to submit full papers to Minerals Engineering, the leading journal in the field. Submissions are assessed by Editor-in-Chief Dr. Pablo Brito-Parada, prior to peer-review, and, if accepted, are:

• Published in the next available regular issue, and
• Included in a virtual special issue dedicated to the conference on ScienceDirect (e.g. Flotation '23).

If you have something important to share, we invite you to present it at an MEI Conference.

May Cornish Mining Sundowner: welcome guests, and staff movements at two of Cornwall's major mining projects

The May Mining Sundowner was at Falmouth's Chain Locker on a glorious summer evening, with an attendance of over 20, and a few new faces.

Ausenco is a global engineering and consulting firm headquartered in Brisbane, Australia, with offices in more than 80 locations worldwide. The company is playing a key role in the Cornish Lithium Feasibility Study, serving as lead study coordinator and process engineering consultant.

Regular sundowner attendee Klaas van der Wielen was joined by two fellow Ausenco engineers from the Toronto office: Spencer Reeves and Grahame Sterling. Grahame is the Project Manager for the Cornish Lithium Feasibility Study, while Spencer serves as the Director of Technical Services. Klaas, a Subject Matter Expert, is guiding the development of the concentrator process.

Grahame, Spencer and Klaas

Spencer brings significant expertise in comminution design, developed during his time as Project Manager at Starkey & Associates, where he worked closely with the late John Starkey.

Spencer with Barbara and me and John and Donna Starkey, in Denver 2015

Cornish Lithium is pioneering the clean extraction of lithium to support the UK’s transition to renewable energy and secure a domestic supply for the batteries that power smartphones, laptops, and electric vehicles. It is focusing on the environmentally responsible extraction of lithium from hard rock and geothermal waters in the historic mining districts of Cornwall. The company has announced the appointment of energy sector leader Jamie Airnes as the new CEO, as the business moves at pace from research and development towards full-scale operations. The appointment of the new CEO will see founder and current CEO, Jeremy Wrathall, transition to the role of Executive Chairman where he will remain firmly at the helm of the business, responsible for company strategy and business development given the growth opportunities that lie ahead. 

It was good to welcome Laura Smith, a fellow post-graduate of Leeds University, although 51 years separate our PhDs! Laura leads the Policy, Governance & Sustainability and Sustainability & Business modules for the fully digital distance-learning MSc in Sustainable Business Leadership within the School of Earth and Environment at the University of Leeds. Her group of social scientists are conducting research on UK sourcing of critical materials in the context of the energy transition. They are researching the challenges and opportunities for industry innovation and new investment and are talking to a range of stakeholders about the non-technical (social, environmental, regulatory etc) issues, constraints, opportunities. Laura is in Falmouth as her group is developing case studies of Cornwall's lithium and tin as well as Aberdeenshire's nickel.

With Laura Smith

Other Cornish mining news this month:

The South Crofty tin project in Camborne is rapidly transitioning to construction and development.and last week received Royal approval with the visit of Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal who unveiled a plaque re-opening New Cook’s Kitchen shaft, which is currently being refurbished to allow mine re-entry at lower levels. .

HRH The Princess Royal with Cornish Metals' CEO, Don Turvey

The company has announced the strengthening of the project and operations teams; David Howe has been appointed to the role of General Manager, where he will lead the operational activities of the mine. He holds a Master’s degree in Mining Geology from the Camborne School of Mines and a Bachelor’s degree in Geology from Oxford Brooks University. Guillermo Alcazar has been appointed to the role of Project Director, leading all project construction and development activities. 

A regular at the sundowners over the last few months has been Owen Mihalop, COO with South Crofty, who left the company last month, after nearly 11 years, in order to pursue new opportunities. We wish Owen all the very best in his new endeavour and hope to see him at future sundowners.

Another well known Cornish mining person on the move is Lucy Crane, who in recent years has been a high profile member of the Cornish Lithium team, as ESG and Sustainability Manager. She has now taken up the role of Sustainability Consultant at Satarla, which supports organisations in making informed, risk-based decisions that turn Sustainability and ESG goals into practical action. And many congratulations to Lucy on being appointed Managing Director of Women In Mining UK (WIM UK), and as an Executive Director on the WIM UK Board of Directors.

An interesting sundowner, and a reminder that the next one will be on Thursday June 19th from 5.30pm at Falmouth's Chain Locker.

A thrilling lap of the legendary Nürburgring

Barbara and I were in Luxembourg last week, visiting Jon and family. It was our third visit to this beautiful small country, only three quarters the size of Cornwall and surrounded by Belgium, Germany and France. 

I will be 80 in November, and last Tuesday I received an early 80th birthday present from Jon and Kathryn, a very memorable experience at the Nürburgring, one of the most iconic and challenging race tracks in the world, located in the Eifel mountains of Germany and 155 km from Jon's home in Luxembourg.

The Nürburgring consists of two main circuits. The more famous is the Nürburgring Nordschleif, a 20.8 km (12.9 mi) long track known for its extreme difficulty, elevation changes, and over 150 corners. Originally built in the 1920s, it is still used today for testing, track days, and motorsport events but is no longer used for Formula 1 because it is too dangerous and outdated for modern F1 standards. The length makes it nearly impossible to properly film, manage, or communicate during a race and a single lap is so long that weather conditions can vary drastically from one part of the track to another. Niki Lauda's fiery crash during the 1976 German Grand Prix was the turning point, when he suffered severe burns and nearly died.

My exhilarating birthday present was a high-speed adrenaline-pumping lap of the legendary "Green Hell" with a professional racing driver, a thrilling way to experience the Nürburgring Nordschleife.

Jon and I ready to go in the BMW M5 CS

The RingTaxi experience is very scary, riding in a high performance car driven at near-race pace, the driver taking corners at breakneck speeds  on a track which is narrow, twisty, blind in many spots, and surrounded by guardrails. Relying fully on the driver’s skill is both exhilarating and unnerving. feeling real g-forces, rapid acceleration, hard braking and tight cornering.

View the full lap on YouTube

It wasn't my first experience of being driven around a race track by a professional driver. In 1997 Jon and I were whisked around Silverstone, a 21st birthday present for Jon, an equally heart pounding experience, but probably not as frightening as the Nürburgring, particularly as I was aware that even professional drivers like those operating the RingTaxi have had serious accidents over the years. 

Jon at Silverstone in 1997

The lap at the Nürburgring certainly makes one aware of the immense skill and bravery of F1 drivers. The Grand Prix at this most challenging of tracks were held over 14-15 laps, at very high speeds of up to 290 km/h. Our top speed of 213 km/h was pretty unnerving on this tight and twisty mountain road, and our time of under 9 minutes is put into context by Niki Lauda's time of just under 7 minutes in his pole lap in 1975. The high g forces and hard braking also has an unsettling effect on the stomach, and Jon and I were not too sure that another lap would have been wise!