Metso expands mineral analysis capabilities
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Metso has strengthened its mineralogy capabilities with a new investment at its Research Center in Pori, Finland, aimed at helping mining customers make faster and more informed decisions throughout the lifecycle of their minerals processing projects.
The investment includes the installation of a TESCAN TIMA
automated mineralogy analyser, which combines high-resolution field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) imaging with multidetector elemental analysis in a fully automated system.
According to Metso, the new equipment complements its existing mineralogical expertise while significantly increasing analysis speed and sample capacity. This will enable specialists to generate quantitative data on ore characteristics, mineral associations and metallurgical behaviour across a greater volume of samples.
The company said the enhanced capabilities will support faster execution and better-informed flowsheet development by delivering high-quality mineralogical data more rapidly.
“In minerals processing and metals refining, the mineralogy of the feed material dictates the outcome of the entire process,” Metso senior mineralogist Tero Kravtsov said.
“By applying detailed mineralogical analysis to feed, concentrates, tailings, and other process products across mineral processing, hydrometallurgy, and pyrometallurgy, the foundation for selecting the appropriate metallurgical route at an early stage can be provided.”
Metso director of minerals processing Matthew Hicks said the investment builds on decades of expertise.
“This investment strengthens the mineralogy expertise we have applied for decades,” Hicks said.
“By expanding our analytical capacity and shortening turnaround times, the experts at the Pori Research Center can deliver clear, actionable mineralogical data for a greater number of cases. Such clarity directly reduces project risk and improves resource efficiency across the entire process.”
Metso said its mineralogy, laboratory testing, pilot work and flowsheet development capabilities help customers improve recoveries, optimise resource efficiency and develop more sustainable processing routes.
The Pori Research Center serves as one of Metso’s key research and product development hubs, supporting mineral processing, hydrometallurgy, battery material process solutions and smelting technologies.
“Strengthening our mineralogy capabilities in Pori further enhances our ability to support early engagement with customers and improve efficiency,” Metso vice president of minerals processing solutions Rodrigo Grau said.
“Mineralogical characterization is essential in defining the optimal metallurgical route.”
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