Preconcentration Services

Preconcentration refers to processes that enhance the grade, value and/or economic potential of ore before primary recovery and concentration operations by removing waste from the stream.

SRC provides a comprehensive range of preconcentration process design and testing services to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of mineral processing operations to achieve these key benefits. Our facilities and expert team offer specialized services , from characterization, design, and bench and pilot testing for a number of preconcentration technologies, including Dense Media Separation (DMS), sensor-based sorting, gravity separation, electromagnetic separation and magnetic separation.

Also included in these services is the capability to do large-scale crushing, sample preparation and heavy liquids lab work. We are dedicated to optimizing mineral processing projects through testing and applying advanced technologies and customized testing or technology solutions.

Why Choose SRC?

Choosing SRC for your preconcentration needs ensures:

Independent Third Party: We work directly with mining companies, equipment suppliers and contractors
Advanced Facilities: Access to a wide variety of high-quality equipment and technologies with a range of capacities
Expert Team: Highly skilled professionals dedicated to optimizing your projects
Comprehensive Services: From initial characterization and testing to full-scale operations, we provide end-to-end solutions
Innovative Solutions: Customized approaches to meet your specific requirements and challenges

Services and Facilities

Dense Media Separation (DMS)

SRC offers one of the only continuous testing DMS facilities in Canada. Our DMS services are designed to enhance the concentration of valuable minerals by using a high-density liquid to separate materials based on their specific gravity.

Our facility has large-scale crushing and sample preparation capabilities, enabling us to handle a wide range of sample sizes and material types. We offer customizable testing, design and optimization services for a range of commodities.

Facility Features:

Continuous operation with a top size of 30 mm and a bottom size of 0.6 mm; density cut points between 2.00 and 3.25 S.G. are achievable with the standard cyclone setup using tracers

Accommodates a wide range of commodities, such as diamonds, precious metals, base metals, rare earth elements, lithium and potash

Testing for all operational parameters, including grade, water treatment analysis, particle size distribution, percent solids, recoveries and equipment performance for flow sheet design and optimization

Primary, secondary (with recycle) and tertiary (with recycle) crushing circuits

Specially designed slurry transport and pumping systems

Pilot-scale circuit available

Crusher gap settings, screen sizes, pump sizes and DMS cyclone adjustments based on project needs

XRT sensor-based sorting and/or magnetic separation down to 1 mm particles with throughputs up to 3 tonnes per hour, including washing, drying and classifying material

Large-Scale Crushing and Sample Preparation

Our large-scale crushing and sample preparation facilities are designed to handle a wide range of materials and sample sizes. Our facilities are equipped with advanced crushing and sample preparation equipment to ensure that samples are prepared to the highest standards, ensuring accurate and representative samples for analysis.

These facilities are integral to our preconcentration services, as they allow for efficient and precise materials preparation for further processing.

Equipment and Capabilities:

Jaw Crusher: CA standalone unit capable of crushing larger rocks and other dry materials, from 7.5 inches down to 0 - 3 inches
Customized Screening Units: Customized sieving units with a variety of screen sizes
Sample Splitter: Large-scale sample splitters to ensure representativity when subsampling material

Heavy Liquids Lab

Our heavy liquids lab supports DMS and other work by providing accurate and reliable materials separation. This lab is an important step for developing and optimizing the DMS and other density processes, ensuring that the highest possible concentration of valuable minerals is achieved.

Density Separation: Using heavy liquids at a range of densities to separate minerals based on their density differences
Customized Testing: Tailored solutions for specific mineral processing needs
Comprehensive Analysis: Evaluating separation efficiency and optimizing processes

Magnetic Separation

SRC offers a suite of magnetic separation solutions—dry, wet, high intensity, low intensity—to further enhance the concentration of magnetic minerals. These techniques are particularly effective for separating fine particles and are integral to our comprehensive suite of preconcentration services.

Services:

Ideal for separating fine, weakly magnetic minerals

Several different intensity magnets are available; suitable for larger particles and strongly magnetic minerals

Customizable to achieve the desired separation efficiency; can be highly effective at concentrating ore or removing penalty elements

Performance evaluation, validation studies and optimization

Additional Facilities and Services

Beyond DMS and magnetic separation, our facilities include advanced mineral processing labs and pilot plants. We provide sensor-based sorting, which uses technologies such as X-ray transmission (XRT), laser, infrared, and electromagnetic sorters. These methods help in optimizing ore sorting and improving overall process efficiency.

SRC provides a host of additional services to support your mineral processing projects:

Geoanalytical Laboratories: Advanced analytical services for identifying and characterizing minerals, elements and other materials within a deposit
Pipe Flow Technology Centre™: Offers a unique opportunity to study slurries, their behaviour, mixing and rheology and test industrial samples and processes in a controlled environment that simulates actual operating conditions
Downstream Beneficiation and Hydrometallurgy: Expertise in beneficiation processes and hydrometallurgical techniques to optimize recovery and processing efficiency

Benefits of Preconcentration

Preconcentration techniques, such as DMS and sensor-based sorting, allow for the early removal of waste material before finer crushing and grinding stages. This reduces the volume of material that needs to be processed in subsequent steps, lowering operational costs and increasing overall processing efficiency.

By reducing the amount of waste material processed, preconcentration can significantly decrease the environmental footprint of mining operations. Less energy is required for crushing and grinding, and there is a reduction in water and reagent usage, leading to more sustainable practices.

Preconcentration upgrades the ore by increasing the concentration of valuable minerals, which can enhance the economic viability of mining projects. This leads to higher grades of ore being sent to downstream processing, improving overall recovery rates and reducing processing costs.

By effectively separating valuable minerals from waste, preconcentration ensures that only high-grade material is processed, maximizing resource utilization and extending the life of the mine.

The use of advanced technologies, such as sensor-based sorting and magnetic separation, allows for precise and efficient separation of minerals. This results in higher throughput and improved overall efficiency of the processing plant.

Sample Handling

To ensure the integrity of the process, a chain of custody is established between the customer and the laboratory. Customer samples are processed in a controlled environment to ensure that confidentiality is maintained at all times.