On with the new!

Ulrike Mehl
Editor of AT MINERAL PROCESSING

Dear Readers

It feels as though the new year is still waiting for us and, consequently, there are a lot of events, which we wish to announce (from p. 12). Alone in March 2017, Freiberg, Berlin and Weimar will be the hotspots in the mineral processing scene where experts from science, research, economics and politics will use the Symposium of Mineral Processing at the Freiberg Mining Academy Technical University (2 to 3 March 2017), the Berlin Raw Material and Recycling Conference (6 to 7 March 2017) as well as the Weimar Gypsum Conference (14 to 15 March 2017) to discuss current trends and developments regarding the processing of primary and secondary raw materials.

At its annual press conference in December 2016, the Trade Association Mining in the VDMA (Association of German Machine and Plant Engineers) confirmed for manufacturers of mining plants that there will a stabilisation in 2017 and even an upward trend in 2018. Not only new products will be launched, but also new sales regions will be opened up (from p. 28). So you will find a report on a new coal mine – the project Uvalnaya – as the result of a German-Russian cooperation, in which various German plant construction companies are taking part, in addition to DMT and RWTH (from p. 38). In addition this issue also deals with comminution processes in a basalt quarry and in a gypsum plant, as well as the loading of iron ore at the port (from p. 48) and with the transport of raw materials concentrates from ore mines to the port terminal (from p. 50).

The technical article on the topic “Advanced technologies for pre-concentration and comminution of low grade ores in the FAME project” shows the possibilities for reduction of the processing costs of low grade ore, e.g. by the introduction of an efficient pre-concentration step or by energy savings during crushing and grinding (from p. 72). The second technical article “Energy-efficient design of dust-extraction systems in the planning of new mineral preparation installations” also deals with costs reduction (from p. 58).

Finally, a word on our own behalf: From now on AT MINERAL PROCESSING will also accompany you on your mobile phone or tablet. From page 4 you will find more information regarding AT DIGITAL.

Furthermore, AT MINERAL PROCESSING is also active on Twitter – independent of the printed issues – and will inform you about current topics at short notice.

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