Could Mining Costs be Slashed With Emerging Technology?

Over recent years, the mining industry has seen a boom in demand, due to the increasing interest in critical minerals.

With this demand, however, comes an increase in scrutiny, particularly as businesses around the world are looking to cut emissions.

As a result, mining companies are investing in new technologies that help them reduce their carbon footprints and increase efficiency.

Emerging technology

South Australian company Gyratory Roller Solutions Pty Ltd (GRolls) is developing emerging crushing technology which is aiming to transform the mining industry. It is currently being investigated by researchers at Adelaide University, but researchers say it is already showing significant advantages over traditional methods.

The mining industry has been transformed in recent years, due to the ongoing demand for critical minerals amid the move towards renewables. Mining companies around the world are modernising their operations to meet demand or embed sustainability. Though each region has a different list of what it classes as a critical mineral, materials such as copper, cold, lithium and aluminium are key commodities around the world. 

Due to its significant role in the clean energy transition, electric vehicles and national infrastructure, copper is increasingly being classified as a critical mineral. However, mining processes can be time-consuming, expensive and emission-heavy, due to a range of techniques.

Now, however, GRolls is aiming to transform the sector with its new crushing technology. According to Mark Drechsler, GRolls Director and Adelaide University PhD candidate, the technology reduces the need for grinding and milling of copper and gold ore. This process, known as comminution, is an essential but energy-intensive process to free valuable minerals from waste rock through the crushing and grinding of materials. 

As a result of this technology, Mark says there will be a significant reduction in operating costs and the industry's carbon footprint.

“Ore crushing and grinding are traditionally one of the most energy-intensive processes in mining, accounting for more than 1% of global energy use and up to 80% of a mine’s site power consumption,” Mark explains.

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Demonstrating efficiency

The technology combines pulsed compression, tension and shear forces in order to break down ore. This blend of processes reduces more than 40% of particles to less than 425 microns in a single pass, as well as generating less than 14% of fine particles smaller than 75 microns. It is particularly useful when working with finer ore feeds that are under 2.36mm. 

Mark adds, "Our testing shows that GRolls can process hard porphyry copper-gold ores while using significantly less energy and no grinding, making it more sustainable and cost-effective.”

The GRolls circuit was tested alongside a traditional grinding operation at a copper-gold operation in NSW, demonstrating a 20% reduction in energy consumption. As well as this, it nearly halved the total comminution cost. 

"These are significant savings. Not only do you reduce power use, but you eliminate the cost of grinding minerals. There are also potential savings in water usage and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions," Mark explains. 

This new technology could be a strong alternative for the mining industry, particularly as deposits become more complex and remote and ore grades decline. 

Dr George Abaka-Wood, Future Industries Institute metallurgist and supervisor of the GRolls project, explains: “The team is committed to showing the downstream benefits of using dry crushing technology in collaboration with other innovative technologies to address the need for more energy-efficient and higher processing efficiencies within mineral processing flowsheets."

Scalable for the industry

The technology is a compact but scalable solution which can be used across a range of environments and processes. It can be used as standalone unit or it can be integrated into existing circuits, as well as being used dry or wet.

“This could be a game changer for mineral processing,” affirms Professor Bill Skinner, Co-author of the study and Research Leader of Minerals and Resource Engineering at the Future Industries Institute. 

“It offers an opportunity to simplify processing circuits while improving sustainability across the board."

GRolls is aiming to commercialise the technology in the upcoming year, utilising a AU$300,000 (US$211,400) South Australian Government Seed-Start grant. If this technology can be scaled and commercialised, the aim is to redefine minerals processing.