Executive Summary: Mining companies have adopted new processing methods to meet efficiency, environmental, and critical-minerals demands. In comminution, stirred mills (Vertimill/HIGmill) and the first dry vertical roller mill (Metso–Loesche VRM) are saving energy. Flotation circuits now use real-time sensors, AI control, and tailored reagents: e.g., an automated flotation plant in China cut collector use ~8–15%, and Nalco’s Flotation360 system uses froth-vision and analytics to optimize recovery. Coarse-particle recovery technologies (Eriez HydroFloat™, Jord NovaCell™, FLSmidth coarseAIR™) are being deployed: they allow coarser grinding with up to +35% throughput and +2–6% extra recovery for copper. Ore sorting has moved from test to practice: a 2025 battery-metal pilot achieved an 80% feed-grade upgrade via XRT sorting. Water use and tailings management face new rules: for example, Chile mines already recycle ~76% of process water (target ~95%) and Mexico’s proposed mining-waste standard mandates water recycling and dry stacking. Tailings design standards are shifting to cover the entire facility lifecycle. The article below details these 2026–2026 advances, organized by process area, with all claims cited to current sources.
Grinding & Comminution
Mining is cutting power costs by changing comminution. In early 2026 Metso reported record sales of stirred mills (over 20 Vertimills, 67 MW total) for copper, gold and iron plants. These mills use ~35% less energy than equivalent ball mills, saving about 36.6 MW (≈135,000 tCO₂/year) over older designs. Miners often pair stirred mills with HPGR units and advanced flotation (e.g. Concorde™ cells) to boost throughput. A major launch in 2026 is the Metso–Loesche VRM dry grinding mill. This new vertical-roller mill can replace SAG/ball mills and HPGRs in primary/secondary grinding. By processing ore without added water, it improves liberation and enables fully dry flowsheets with coarse flotation or magnetic separation. Early projections suggest the VRM will deliver large energy and cost savings in comminution.
Metso and Loesche announced the “Metso Loesche VRM” dry grinding mill in Feb 2026, aiming to replace SAG/ball/HPGR setups and cut power use. (Image: Metso Loesche)
Flotation & Reagents
Flotation plants now incorporate data-driven chemistry control. Inline sensors (for pH, ORP, dissolved reagents, particle size) feed automated controllers. For example, an integrated control loop at a coal-flotation plant in China cut kerosene use by ~54 kg/day and alcohol by ~178 kg/day (8–15% savings), saving ~¥840,000/year in reagents. In 2026, companies like Nalco (Ecolab) and BASF showed systems (e.g. Nalco Flotation360) that combine vision sensors, online analyzers and AI to adjust collector/frother dosing and froth wash in real time. These systems ensure reagents respond to changing ore feed or froth appearance. As a result, plants achieve higher recovery and grade with less chemical waste.
On the cell side, vendors are rolling out new flotation machines. Metso reported pilot tests of a next-generation coarse-particle cell (to launch 2026) that floats ore fed into the froth layer. Glencore’s Jameson Cell continues to scale (500th cell in 2025) and is now trialed as a cleaner for copper-gold roughers (doubling gold, tripling copper grade in pilot). Several coarse recovery products are now on the market: Eriez’s HydroFloat™ is used in copper plants (increasing throughput 10–35% and Cu recovery 2–6%); FLSmidth’s coarseAIR™ fluidized-bed cell has been launched (promising ~30% mill energy savings and much easier dewatering of tailings); and Jord’s NovaCell™, Outotec’s RCS and other designs are in pilot tests. The net effect: flotation can now recover more metal from coarser particles, easing grind requirements and energy use.
Coarse Recovery & Ore Sorting
2026 saw coarse-flotation and sorters reach commercial scale. Coarse-fraction flotation (recovering >200 µm particles) is moving from lab to plant. For instance, Eriez reports HydroFloat™ (a fluidized-bed flotation unit) is installed at several porphyry copper and nickel sites; it yields larger-particle concentrates with less grinding. FLS’s new coarseAIR cells (announced 2025, launching 2026) use a buoyant RC bed with aeration, floating coarse grains that normal cells lose. These devices increase throughput and recovery while producing easily-dryable tailings.
Ore sorting/pre-concentration also gained ground. Sensor-sorters (X-ray, NIR, LIBS) are being integrated at feasibility stage for base and battery metals. A publicized example: in Aug 2025 (Phase 2), Manganese X’s Battery Hill project pilot removed waste and increased mill feed Mn grade by 80% using XRT sorting. Higher-grade feed means ~20–50% smaller mill capacity and corresponding OPEX savings. The trial showed “very high recovery rates” of valuable ore during sorting. Battery and lithium developers report similar benefits. In practice, sorted low-grade rejects become tailings or stockpiles, cutting downstream throughput, energy, and coarse grinding demands. If you evaluate a new deposit, consider ore sorting early: many 2026 PFS studies now include a sorting stage, as it can enhance NPV by boosting feed grade and reducing energy use .
Water Management & Tailings
Miners face stricter water and tailings rules. In water-stressed regions, mines already treat water as a core process input. For example, Chile’s National Mining Policy aimed to cut continental water use to 10% of total by 2025. As of 2026, Chilean mines have 76% closed-loop reuse, and projections see only ~5% fresh water by 2040. Mexico’s draft mining waste standard (PROY-NOM-157) explicitly requires advanced water reuse and even dry tailings handling. It lists “water recycling technologies reducing liquid waste” and “dry processing methods” as high priorities. In practice, operators in arid areas retrofit plants with high-rate thickeners, paste or filter presses, and membrane treaters. For example, Imperial Oil’s Kearl mine (Alberta) is piloting an “Enhanced Thickened Tailings (eTT)” process that separates water faster so the tailings settle well and can be stacked safely. Lab results (2025) showed eTT tailings dewater markedly quicker, enabling ~5–10% extra water recovery for reuse.
If you run a plant in a water-scarce region, you must design around water constraints. By 2026, closed-loop recycling is common: systems capture most tailings liquor back into process. Mines that did not upgrade faced operating caps or permit delays under the new rules. Similarly, tailings management now drives plant design. Global standards (GISTM, ICMM) require thorough risk audits; in Canada, the MAC’s 2022 guide revision now mandates facility-wide design (not just dam walls). The updated guidance (final 2026) emphasizes whole-life-cycle design for tailings systems. For example, thicker tailings enable higher recovery but challenge dewatering; mines balance these in front-end flowsheet choices (thickener sizing, tailings solids content etc.) based on both yield and geotechnical criteria.
Electrification & Automation
Automation in processing is advancing. The latest ABB/Siemens surveys report 77–80% of mines targeting electrification and digital control by 2026 (source: ABB’s “Mining’s Moment” 2026). In practice, more processing equipment is electric (mineral mills, conveyors) and tied to smart grids. Integrated control platforms link mills, conveyors, and tanks: autonomous grinding circuits now adjust feed based on ore hardness and throughput targets (maximizing production with minimal energy). Flotation circuits use AI-driven loops: digital twin models tune impeller speed, air rates, and reagent dosing online. Sensors and portable analyzers proliferate: in India, regulators now mandate online process monitoring. Malvern Panalytical notes real-time analyzers (XRD, XRF on pipes) are “the new normal” in 2026, supporting digital optimization. Overall, plants adopting these automation tools run tighter: real-time data replaces manual lab checks and guesswork.
Critical Minerals & Other Developments
Mineral processing of lithium, rare earths, and battery metals has unique trends. Many new lithium spodumene projects use dense-media separation and flotation designs tailored to complex ores; likewise, new collector chemistries for fine lithium silicates were piloted (specific sources not public). Rare-earth mining sees renewed flotation reagent R&D to improve recoveries. However, no single breakthrough in 2026 jumps out in open sources. Instead, operators generally emphasize increased assay-based sorting, multi-stage separation, and integration of concentration and refining steps. (These statements are based on industry reports; detailed processing choices are often confidential or project-specific.)
Key Takeaways: By 2026, mineral plants no longer treat unit operations in isolation. Every step now responds to energy, water, and environmental constraints. When optimizing or designing a plant, consider (1) advanced grinding flows (stirred mills, HPGR, new VRM); (2) sensor-enabled process control (real-time mineralogy linking to reagent dosing); (3) coarse and pre-concentration steps (coarse flotation, ore sorting) upstream; (4) water loops and tailings fit to location (thickening, filtering, dry stacking). Early adopters of these 2026-era practices gained lower costs and higher recovery; others must catch up to avoid penalties.
| Technology | Application | Operational Impact | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| HPGR in Comminution Circuits | Hard rock grinding (gold, copper) | Lower energy consumption and improved downstream liberation | Metso HPGR Insights |
| Coarse Particle Flotation | Early-stage recovery of valuable minerals | Reduced grinding requirements and increased recovery | Eriez CPF Technology |
| Sensor-Based Ore Sorting | Pre-concentration before milling | Reduced processing volume and improved feed grade | TOMRA Mining Sorting |
| Advanced Process Control (APC) | Grinding and flotation optimization | Improved stability and recovery through real-time adjustments | ANDRITZ Process Optimization |
| Dry Stack Tailings | Tailings management | Reduced water use and improved storage stability | Weir Tailings Solutions |