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Current and Future Trends in Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy...
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Current and Future Trends in Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy (2nd Edition)

A Special Issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944) belonging to the section "Manufacturing Processes and Systems".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 September 2026 | Viewed by 2863

Editor

Prof. Dr. Katarzyna Nowinska

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Mining, Safety Engineering and Industrial Automation, Silesian University of Technology, ul. Akademicka 2, 44-100 Gliwice, Poland
Interests: materials charakterization; materials recycling; atomic emission spectroscopy analysis; biomaterials; metal implants; nonferrous metals recovery; mineralurgy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Mineral processing is a branch of science and technology that deals with processing natural and synthetic mineral materials and associated liquids, solutions, and gases to give them desirable properties. It is part of the technological sciences, although it includes elements derived from other fields of knowledge, particularly the natural sciences. Mineral processing is based on separation processes and involves the execution and description of separations and their analysis, evaluation, and comparison. Mineral processing, together with metallurgy, constitutes extractive metallurgy. Extractive metallurgy is a branch of metallurgy that deals with the processing of minerals and concentrates to recover their contained metal values.

This Special Issue will focus on topics that include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Mineral properties and utilization;
  • The extraction, separation, and purification of minerals and metals;
  • The post-treatment of effluents and tailings;
  • The processing of advanced materials via pyro- and hydro-metallurgical routes.

Prof. Dr. Katarzyna Nowinska
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • mineral processing
  • extractive metallurgy
  • hydro-metallurgy
  • pyro-metallurgy
  • utilization
  • mineral properties

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

33 pages, 31502 KB  
Article
Thermochemical Activation of Carbon Steel EAF and FeCr Slags for Chromium and Vanadium Leaching
by Andrea Miškufová, Zita Takáčová, Jana Pirošková, Olívia Melegová, Dagmar Remeteiová and Jaroslav Briančin
Materials 2026, 19(15), 3213; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19153213 - 28 Jul 2026
Viewed by 370
Abstract
This study presents a novel, low-temperature thermochemical activation process for the selective extraction of Cr and V from carbon steel EAF (CH1) and FeCr (CH2) slags at temperatures of up to 600 °C. Of the twelve reagents tested, NaOH was identified as the [...] Read more.
This study presents a novel, low-temperature thermochemical activation process for the selective extraction of Cr and V from carbon steel EAF (CH1) and FeCr (CH2) slags at temperatures of up to 600 °C. Of the twelve reagents tested, NaOH was identified as the optimal alkaline agent for Cr activation at 500 °C, achieving extraction yields of 61.6% for CH1 (slag-to-reagent ratio of 12:8 g) and 80.6% for CH2 (ratio of 12:16 g). KOH at 400 °C was the most effective reagent for V extraction, yielding 89.4% for CH1 and 54.5% for CH2. Maximum metal concentrations were achieved after only five minutes of leaching at 60 °C. The process exhibits high selectivity; primary matrix components (Fe, Si, Al, Ca, Mg) either do not leach or only leach in negligible amounts. Iron forms insoluble oxides, and calcium converts into stable calcite, while magnesium is bound in the form of hydrotalcite specifically in the CH2 slag leaching residue. The CaCO3 content was proven to be a crucial parameter determining the activation efficiency and effective transformation of Fe-Cr-V phases. This procedure enables the recovery of clean Cr and V leachates, while the residual mineral-rich fraction offers potential for various industrial applications in a closed-loop slag recycling process. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current and Future Trends in Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy (2nd Edition))
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17 pages, 6746 KB  
Article
Alumina Extraction from Coal Fly Ash via Pre-Desilication, Vacuum Reduction, and the Alkali Dissolving Method
by Teng Li, Yao Chen, Xing Chen, Haitao Yuan, Tao Xiong and Wenzhou Yu
Materials 2026, 19(13), 2909; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19132909 - 7 Jul 2026
Viewed by 910
Abstract
The high silica content of coal fly ash (CFA) poses a significant challenge for alumina extraction, resulting in high material and energy consumption. To reduce the silica content and improve alumina extraction efficiency, a novel process combining pre-desilication, vacuum reduction, and alkali dissolving [...] Read more.
The high silica content of coal fly ash (CFA) poses a significant challenge for alumina extraction, resulting in high material and energy consumption. To reduce the silica content and improve alumina extraction efficiency, a novel process combining pre-desilication, vacuum reduction, and alkali dissolving is proposed. In the pre-desilication stage, amorphous silica in CFA is effectively removed by NaOH solution, increasing the Al2O3/SiO2 mass ratio from 0.78 to 1.27. The desilicated coal fly ash (D-CFA) is then subjected to vacuum carbothermal reduction with the addition of Fe2O3 and CaO to produce Fe-Si alloys and CaO·xAl2O3. The resulting CaO·xAl2O3 can be dissolved via alkali dissolving to extract alumina, achieving an alumina dissolving rate of over 90%. The Fe-Si alloys remaining in the dissolved residue are subsequently recovered by magnetic separation. Compared with the process without pre-desilication, the current process reduces material input by 30.25% and energy consumption by 35.18%, demonstrating that this approach offers a low-cost, energy-efficient, and environmentally friendly route for high-value-added utilization of CFA. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current and Future Trends in Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy (2nd Edition))
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16 pages, 3470 KB  
Article
Sequential Leaching and Mineralogical Controls of Rare Earth Elements and Yttrium Occurrence in Bituminous Coal from Upper Silesian Coal Basin (Poland)
by Zdzisław Adamczyk and Joanna Komorek
Materials 2026, 19(6), 1066; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19061066 - 11 Mar 2026
Viewed by 454
Abstract
In this study, the occurrence and leachability of rare earth elements and yttrium (REY) in medium-rank coal—meta-bituminous B coal from the southwestern part of the Upper Silesian Coal Basin in Poland—were investigated. The coal samples contained variable amounts of siderite, dolomite, calcite, kaolinite, [...] Read more.
In this study, the occurrence and leachability of rare earth elements and yttrium (REY) in medium-rank coal—meta-bituminous B coal from the southwestern part of the Upper Silesian Coal Basin in Poland—were investigated. The coal samples contained variable amounts of siderite, dolomite, calcite, kaolinite, illite, quartz, apatite, and pyrite in their mineral composition. A five-step sequential chemical leaching procedure was used, including deionized water, 3% HCl, 5% HNO3, 10% HNO3 with microwave assistance, and concentrated HCl–HF also with microwave assistance. The highest concentrations of ∑REY were observed in seam 404/1. Light REY (LREY) dominated the REY composition (>75%), while heavy REY (HREY) accounted for less than 10%. The chondrite-normalised REY patterns and total REY content indicate a clastic origin of REY-bearing minerals. The most efficient leaching occurred in stages IV and V. The solutions from stages I–III preferentially mobilised critical REY, while those from stages IV–V reflected the REY distribution in the coal. Based on the Coutl index, both coal and leachates from the later stages are classified as prospective REY resources. However, absolute REY concentrations should be considered when interpreting Coutl values. The positive correlation between apatite and kaolinite contents and ∑REE concentrations suggests their role in REY enrichment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current and Future Trends in Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy (2nd Edition))
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21 pages, 4400 KB  
Article
What Is the Main Cause of Shrinkage Porosity in AlSi7Mg0.6 Alloy Castings Obtained with an Increased Share of Secondary Materials?
by Jaroslaw Piatkowski, Katarzyna Nowinska, Tomasz Matula and Andrzej Nowrot
Materials 2026, 19(5), 910; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19050910 - 27 Feb 2026
Viewed by 675
Abstract
Determining the causes of shrinkage porosity in Al-Si-Mg alloy castings with an increased proportion of secondary materials is very important and poses many problems. The reason for this is the existence of two opposing theories. One assumes that plate-like α-Al5FeSi (β-Fe) [...] Read more.
Determining the causes of shrinkage porosity in Al-Si-Mg alloy castings with an increased proportion of secondary materials is very important and poses many problems. The reason for this is the existence of two opposing theories. One assumes that plate-like α-Al5FeSi (β-Fe) phase segregations cause shrinkage porosity. At the same time, the other believes that thin, double-layered oxide films with air-filled voids are responsible for the porosity. To address this question, the popular commercial alloy AlSi7Mg0.6 (EN AC-42200) was selected for testing. This alloy was cast into three series: with increasing content from 0.3 to 0.8 wt.% Fe and a constant content of approx. 0.1 wt.% Mn, the second with increasing iron and manganese contents (Mn/Fe = 1/2) (both series cast by gravity), and the third series under low pressure (approx. 0.15 MPa) with increasing content from 0.8 wt.% to 1.3 wt.% Fe and a constant content of approx. 0.1 wt.% Mn. Based on DTA (Derivative Thermal Analysis) and DSC (Differential Scanning Calorimetry) tests, the order of crystallizing components in various Mn/Fe combinations was determined. It has been found that the most unfavorable phases in gravity castings are the primary crystallizing β-Al5FeSi (β-Fe) phases (over 0.7 wt.% Fe), which are the leading cause of shrinkage porosity. After adding manganese to the alloy, thermal tests indicate that after the formation of α(Al) dendrites but before the eutectic α(Al) + β(Si), the Al15(Fe,Mn)3Si2 phase crystallizes. In die-cast samples, plate-like α-Al5FeSi (β-Fe) phase precipitates were also observed, but their share is small, and their average length does not exceed 20–30 µm. However, microstructural tests revealed the presence of rare oxides. It can therefore be assumed that in the AlSi7Mg0.6 alloy cast under pressure, the primary source of shrinkage porosity is not plate-like α-Al5FeSi (β-Fe) phase precipitates, but double-layer oxide films. In all cases, it was found that the Mg2Si phase formed at the end of crystallization does not affect shrinkage porosity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current and Future Trends in Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy (2nd Edition))
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