Minerals Processing and Beneficiation

Minerals processing and beneficiation is an area of immense potential and growth for all the nations worldwide especially those which are endowed with nature’s blessings in the form of abundant mineral resources. Minerals beneficiation is of great economic importance to the mining industry and the countries as a whole. The increasing demand for minerals is likely to increase the growth of infrastructure with rapid industrialization and exploitation of minerals. Unfortunately, these resources are not fully exploited in developing countries due to the lack of advanced skills, modern and innovative research and technology and the new world trade regime. Many minerals are still exported as ores, concentrates or metals, without significant downstream processing or value addition. Therefore there is an urgent need for the policy makers, scientists, technologists, academics and other industry experts to come together and assess ways and means to address the aforementioned skills gap. This publication is a follow up of the International Workshop on ‘Minerals Processing and Beneficiation’ organised at Johannesburg, South Africa during 25-27 September 2012 by the NAM S&T Centre jointly with the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Republic of South Africa. The book includes 17 scientific and technical papers from the experts and professionals of 16 countries and presents noteworthy insights on the issues related to Mineral Sector to unravel its wide range of possibilities so as to provide a more sustainable foundation for the developing world’s transition from a resource enriched condition to an industrial economy. It is hoped that the book will serve as a useful reference material for investors in mining sector, technologists and policy makers that will help the developing countries in working out appropriate strategy, policies and programmes on the exploitation of new technologies on mineral processing and beneficiation for a better industrial economy.