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Mine shutdown — lockout tagout The Kingspan Water Tanks advantage Greener Groundwork HK Calibration-Leading experts in calibration Connect with the best WT Hydraulics and Festo Join Forces to Revolutionise Mining and Industrial Automation Putzmeister Geokret Scanner Tecweigh-Custom engineered weightometers & other weighing solutions Doing it the Rightway Take control of your operations with PROTOBLAST Screening Solutions for Australian Mining Transforming pump performance monitoring Innovation and technology: pillars of efficient mining Specialised equipment solutions for mining and material handling, above and below ground Real training, real impact RINGSPANN-Your benefit is our motivation Specialised equipment solutions for mining and material handling, above and below ground Bruce Avery Transport Ringspann Control your fleet with Geotab Future Engineering Engineering solutions for field applications Hawk extra heavy-duty machinery SANDVIK Groundwave Drilling Services THE CHOICE IN SCREENING TECHNOLOGY Gold, gold, gold Put more and better data to work for you Introducing Megamec Eagle Forklifts Keep Your Wheels Turning Robowash – Automatic Parts Cleaning System Stop rollaways in their tracks Australian Floating Decks – Professional Services Next generation lighting with JLG SureLift: taking you to new heights in crane hire Providing reliable solutions to Whitehaven Industry-first Layflat Hose Technical Manual Launch Sergate and Toyota to the rescue Australian tough grader blades Vansite hire fleet now in WA Turn-key hire: Mobile Accommodation Camps The Ensham Experts Survive the drive Minesite ready vehicle specialists Toughness you can trust ARB StealthBar Keep your crew cool Next generation lighting with JLG Steuler expands your horizons Expertise and precision with CMI Trusted to power Australia’s toughest mines Whitehaven’s crane and heavy haulage professionals J&S Engineering – Integrity & Excellence The shovel-shutdown experts When Every Hour Counts Austral Technologies – Hits the spot when it comes to longevity Turning waste into wealth Henry Plant & Equipment – Drawing on 90 years of Experience to provide Earthmoving Services Nationwide Complete Civil & Mining Solutions (CCMS) RosterPro — Unlock your workforce ADT Security Motherwell Automation: The new SCADA This just in: The Buddie System Sydney Rope Supplies McLanahan Kado Muir’s online course for miners CKC Equipment Precision CNC Machining for mining Coal hard facts Unlock peak performance A new dawn for Ensham mine Ore inspiring: Rio Tinto’s boost to keep ore flowing PNG Expo’s unmissable return Lumsden Point development Freightplus: Bringing big things to the mining industry Australia’s future, fuelled by phosphate Mining Matters Greatland gears up for ASX Toyota: part of the FleetCrew Boddington’s gold-plated future Barton builds up for South Australian gold rush The sold out 2025 MRE Conference Not an automotive supplier Tough as tungsten Maskill undercarriage solutions Aussie jetters & hydroblasters… the pressure is on! Engineering Buoyancy – How Coerco redefines liquid control for mining success The Australian Mining Review June 2025 Edition Mining icons

Innovation and technology: pillars of efficient miningAusenco

The global mining industry faces a crossroads that will define its future development. While the demand for minerals and metals continues to rise, deposits are becoming more complex, requiring mining companies to adopt new technologies to address lower ore grades, increased ore hardness, water scarcity, and growing social pressure to reduce energy and water consumption in mining operations. At the same time, it will be necessary to ensure that mineral processing remains economically viable.

To address this challenge, innovation must be at the core of companies’ strategies, effectively integrating into every stage of the project lifecycle. This involves continuous monitoring of new technological developments and active collaboration with mining companies, suppliers, research centres and universities.

The implementation of innovative solutions in the mining industry offers numerous benefits, mainly improving the sustainability of operations. These technologies optimise the use of resources such as water and energy, resulting in significant savings and a reduced environmental impact. By adopting more efficient processes, mining companies not only contribute to environmental protection but also meet growing social and regulatory demands to operate responsibly and respectfully toward the environment.

Among the examples currently being implemented in the industry, early waste rejection or low-grade material sorting before entering the concentrator plant—such as Bulk Ore Sorting (BOS)—stands out. Once the ore reaches the concentrator plant, the goal is to reduce specific energy consumption to liberate valuable minerals. One option is to use energy-efficient technologies like High-Pressure Grinding Rolls (HPGR), microwave-assisted comminution, or dry comminution, which serve as alternatives to conventional horizontal mills, maximising economic benefits.

Regardless of the crushing technology used to achieve the required liberation, another approach that has gained traction since its introduction in the hard rock industry in 2018 is Coarse Particle Flotation (CPF), which increases the P80 target in grinding circuits. CPF is already in operation or under construction at various sites worldwide. Its potential advantages include increased recovery rates, reduced operating costs by coarsening primary grinding, increased throughput by alleviating bottlenecks in limited ball mills, and opportunities to improve water and energy efficiency.

Regarding mining waste, the industry is advancing the implementation of non-conventional tailings treatment systems to maximise water recovery, reduce deposit footprints, and mitigate risks associated with geomechanical failures, aiming to enhance operational efficiency and safety in mining operations.

Automation and digitalisation are redefining traditional mining paradigms. AI-based platforms, big data analytics, and real-time monitoring enable process optimisation and strategic decision-making with greater agility and accuracy.

For these advancements to translate into more efficient and responsible mining, they must align with a comprehensive sustainability approach. The key is to design solutions that minimise environmental impact, optimise resource use and ensure the industry’s long-term viability.

In this context, innovation is not just a competitive advantage but an essential pillar for the future of mining. The adoption of advanced technologies, combined with a focus on efficiency and sustainability, will enable the industry to continue evolving and responding to the increasing demands of the market and society.