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Processes
Special Issues
Mineral Processing Equipments and Cross-Disciplinary Approaches
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Mineral Processing Equipments and Cross-Disciplinary Approaches

A special issue of Processes (ISSN 2227-9717). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Processes".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 November 2025 | Viewed by 574

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Wentao Hu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Civil and Resource Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
Interests: resources recycling; red mud; steel slag; genetic mineral processing engineering and polymetallic symbiosis ore; electrochemical resource processing method
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue aims to compile cutting-edge research on the development, optimization, and application of equipment used in mineral processing operations. Contributions should address innovations in comminution, classification, gravity separation, magnetic separation, flotation, solid–liquid separation, and tailings management, etc., with an emphasis on enhancing efficiency, reducing environmental impact, and advancing sustainable practices in mineral resource utilization.

Specifically, we welcome submissions focusing on:

  • Crushing and screening. Novel designs of crushers (jaw, cone, impact, etc.) and screening systems (vibratory, trommel, etc.) for improved particle size control and energy efficiency.
  • Gravity separation. Advances in jigs, spirals, shaking tables, and centrifugal concentrators, etc., for density-based mineral recovery. Magnetic and electrostatic separation: high-gradient magnetic separators, eddy current systems, and electrostatic technologies for fine-particle processing and complex ore beneficiation.
  • Flotation. Innovations in cell designs, reagent delivery systems, and automation for selective mineral recovery, particularly in low-grade or refractory ores.
  • Solid–liquid separation. Developments in thickeners, filters (vacuum, pressure), and centrifuges to optimize water reuse and minimize waste generation.
  • Tailings management. Dry stacking, dewatering technologies, and geochemical stabilization methods to reduce tailings storage risks and enable resource recovery.

In particular, we invite papers on:

  • Smart equipment integration. AI-driven process control, real-time monitoring, and predictive maintenance systems to enhance operational reliability and throughput.
  • Eco-friendly solutions. Energy-efficient designs, reduced water consumption, and low-carbon footprint technologies aligned with global sustainability goals.
  • Resource recovery. Hybrid systems for extracting critical minerals from tailings or low-value streams, including hydrometallurgical and bioleaching interfaces.
  • Cross-disciplinary approaches. Synergies between mechanical engineering, material science, and environmental science to address challenges in complex ore processing and circular economy integration.

Submissions should highlight scalability, cost-effectiveness, and practical applicability, providing case studies or industrial validations where possible. Theoretical models must demonstrate clear relevance to the equipment design or process optimization.

Dr. Wentao Hu
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Processes is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • mineral processing equipment
  • crushing/grinding equipment
  • gravity separation equipment
  • magnetic separation equipment
  • flotation equipment
  • solid–liquid separation equipment
  • tailings dewatering equipment
  • smart equipment integration
  • energy-efficient designs
  • cross-disciplinary approaches

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  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

31 pages, 10540 KiB  
Article
Study of the Scale-Up Method and Dynamic Performance of the Forced-Air Self-Aspirating Flotation Machine
by Ming Zhang, Zhengchang Shen, Fei Ma, Yuejun Zhang and Boshen Liu
Processes 2025, 13(5), 1316; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13051316 - 25 Apr 2025
Viewed by 110
Abstract
The forced-air self-aspirating flotation machine is the core equipment for achieving a horizontal configuration in a large-scale flotation circuit. During scale-up, power consumption increases significantly due to the requirement for a greater pulp suction volume, while flotation dynamics deteriorate. Therefore, it is difficult [...] Read more.
The forced-air self-aspirating flotation machine is the core equipment for achieving a horizontal configuration in a large-scale flotation circuit. During scale-up, power consumption increases significantly due to the requirement for a greater pulp suction volume, while flotation dynamics deteriorate. Therefore, it is difficult to meet the horizontal configuration requirement for a large-scale flotation process. In this study, the key factors influencing pulp suction capacity were analyzed, revealing that as impeller submergence depth increases, pulp suction capacity decreases sharply, while power consumption rises, which was determined to be the main limitation in scaling up a forced-air self-aspirating flotation machine. To address these challenges, a new design concept for large-scale forced-air self-aspirating flotation machines was developed, featuring an impeller–stator system positioned in the middle of a trough. This design eliminated the issue of the impeller moving farther from the overflow weir and prevented increasing pulp suction resistance during scale-up. Additionally, an independent design of the upper blades was introduced based on pulp suction demand, and the design method and scale-up equations for the new impeller were established. An industrial experiment system based on a 50 m3 forced-air self-aspirating flotation machine was established to verify the developed design schemes. The new impeller with a middle placement design achieved the best separation performance, exhibited low unit pulp suction power consumption, and demonstrated the most favorable overall performance. Using CFD simulations, the flow pattern and dynamic performance were calculated, including the pulp suction volume, circulation volume, and gas–liquid dispersion for large-scale forced-air self-aspirating flotation machines. The first and largest 160 m3 large-scale forced-air self-aspirating flotation cell was successfully developed and applied in a copper–sulfur mine, where the function of self-absorbing pulp was achieved and power consumption was effectively controlled. Finally, the feasibility and accuracy of the new large-scale forced-air self-aspirating flotation machine design and scale-up method were verified. In this paper, a large forced-air self-aspirating flotation machine is designed and developed which is capable of supporting horizontally configured large-scale flotation processes. This innovative approach significantly simplifies the processing layout and reduces both the equipment configuration complexity and energy consumption, offering a more efficient and cost-effective solution for large-scale mineral processing operations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mineral Processing Equipments and Cross-Disciplinary Approaches)
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12 pages, 2765 KiB  
Article
Dynamic Coupling Model of the Magnetic Separation Process Based on FEM, CFDs, and DEM
by Xiaoming Wang, Zhengchang Shen, Yonghui Hu and Guodong Liang
Processes 2025, 13(5), 1303; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13051303 - 24 Apr 2025
Viewed by 156
Abstract
Magnetic separation is an important method in the processing process, and its essence is the targeted dispersion of the mineral processing slurry pulp in the magnetic field space. The slurry is a complex multiphase fluid system with continuous phase carrying a large number [...] Read more.
Magnetic separation is an important method in the processing process, and its essence is the targeted dispersion of the mineral processing slurry pulp in the magnetic field space. The slurry is a complex multiphase fluid system with continuous phase carrying a large number of discrete phase particles, in which the magnetic particles agglomerate, migrate, and disperse under the dominance of magnetic force. In this process, there is nonlinear and unstable dynamic coupling between the continuous phase (liquid) and the discrete phase (solid particles) and between the discrete phases. In this paper, a dynamic cyclic multi-dipole magnetic moment algorithm with a higher calculation accuracy is innovatively proposed to calculate the magnetic interaction force between particles. Moreover, the P-E magnetization model suitable for a two-dimensional uniform magnetic field is further improved and optimized to make it applicable to a three-dimensional gradient magnetic field. Finally, based on the coupling of the Finite Element Method (FEM), Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFDs), and Discrete Element Method (DEM), a dynamic coupling model capable of accurately simulating the magnetic separation process is developed. This model can be used to study the separation behavior of particles under a multiphase flow and multi-force field and to explore the motion behavior of magnetic particles. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mineral Processing Equipments and Cross-Disciplinary Approaches)
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13 pages, 2861 KiB  
Article
Hydrodynamic Characterization of Particle–Bubble Aggregate Transport: Bubble Load Dynamics During Vertical Ascent
by Dengfeng Han, Chuanyao Sun, Tichang Sun, Jingpeng Zhao and Shuaixing Shi
Processes 2025, 13(4), 1218; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13041218 - 17 Apr 2025
Viewed by 191
Abstract
Precise evaluation of flotation performance facilitates process optimization and separation efficiency enhancement, while bubble load quantification emerges as a critical diagnostic tool increasingly recognized within mineral processing research. This study introduces an enhanced bubble load measurement system that integrates equilibrium principles with vacuum [...] Read more.
Precise evaluation of flotation performance facilitates process optimization and separation efficiency enhancement, while bubble load quantification emerges as a critical diagnostic tool increasingly recognized within mineral processing research. This study introduces an enhanced bubble load measurement system that integrates equilibrium principles with vacuum suction technology. The system ensures stable and continuous sampling, significantly improving the precision and efficiency of bubble load measurements in flotation processes. Through synchronized testing in roughing and scavenging operations, dynamic variations in bubble load and their relationships with particle size and ore grade were analyzed. Results reveal contrasting trends: bubble load increased during roughing but decreased during scavenging. The distributions of particle size and mineral content carried by bubbles further highlight correlations between bubble stability and flotation efficiency. These findings provide practical guidelines for optimizing equipment design and operational parameters, demonstrating significant potential for advancing intelligent monitoring in mineral processing systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mineral Processing Equipments and Cross-Disciplinary Approaches)
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