Mineral Processing Labs and Pilot Plants

SRC’s Mineral Processing team provides leading‐edge research, development and demonstration services for a variety of commodities and mineral processing technologies. We help maximize your resource and improve productivity at every stage of the mining cycle, from exploration to closure.

Download the Mineral Processing Chain of Custody

Our team of engineers and scientists can customize testing and design to meet the unique needs of mining companies in uranium, potash, lithium, base metals, precious metals, rare earth elements and industrial minerals.

Service Capabilities

  • Testing – bench, pilot and field
  • Evaluation – mineralogy, process and equipment
  • Design
  • Optimization and troubleshooting
  • Product manufacture
Related Labs

Geoanalytical Laboratories

We offer a wide spectrum of services that are relevant, timely and cost-effective. Our world-renowned experience and research background allows us to continually improve the reliability and sensitivity of our analyses, helping to assure your success in the future. Our Services Minerals Analysis Multi-element and uranium analysis Potash analysis Gold and base metals analysis Sample preparation and archiving services Rare earth elements and whole rock analysis Copper Cobalt Lithium Kimberlite Processing and Diamond Recovery Sensor-Based Sorting Core Splitting and Polishing Facilities SRC

Pipe Flow Technology Centre™

Working with Industry SRC's RD&D in pipe flow technology helps resource industries expand the horizons of how and where they operate. We conduct commercial-scale studies of clients' concepts for safe, cost-effective: Extraction Transportation Processing Waste disposal of mineral and oil resources Our clients, large and small, understand how the power of pipe flow technology can transform the way they do business. Since 1967, we have collaborated with Canada's resource industries on a range of ground-breaking pipeline and fluid mechanics applications. A few examples are: Hydrotransport of oil

Technology Areas

New Technologies

  • Dynamic gas evolution (hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide) during leaching

  • In situ recovery, particularly for potash and uranium applications

  • Novel lithium and rare earth recovery technologies

  • Lithium battery metals recycling

Comminution and Milling

  • Standard bond work index test

  • SAG Design test for semi-autogenous mill design

  • Attrition scrubbing, desliming, screening and cyclone testing

  • Large-scale crushing/Grinding and sample preparation

Beneficiation

  • Gravity separation (shaking tables, Knelson concentrator, heavy liquid separation)

  • Magnetic separation (dry, wet, high intensity, low intensity)

  • Electrostatic separation (free-fall and drum)

  • Flotation (mechanical flotation, hydroflotation, column flotation, pneumatic flotation)

Hydrometallurgical Processes at Bench or Pilot-Scale

  • Leaching (acid leaching, alkaline leaching, cyanidation – agitated and column, hot leaching, cold leaching)

  • Crystallization, evaporation, precipitation, simulated solar pond evaporation

  • Solvent extraction

  • Ion exchange

  • Nanofiltration and reverse osmosis membrane filtration tests

  • Paste backfilling tests

  • Effluent treatment

  • Settling (flocculant screening, static settling, dynamic settling, pilot thickening)

  • Solids/Liquid separation (vacuum filtration and pressure filtration, lab and pilot filter press and centrifuge)

Miscellaneous

  • Anti-caking test for potash

Related Areas of Expertise

Our Mineral Processing team also works with other SRC laboratories and facilities to offer clients an expanded range of services. 

Related Stories

src's lithium pilot plant
Test Before You Invest: The Strategic Importance of Piloting
Piloting is a process of testing a technology, process or system on a specific scale that can simulate conditions in industrial environments, either as a trial run or proof of concept. Learn more about the importance of piloting, when is the right time to pilot and how SRC can help.
Learn more
lab technician prepares uranium sample at src lab under fumehood
Decades of opportunity: looking back at nearly 50 years of mining innovation at SRC
SRC has tackled the ever-changing landscape of industry needs since 1947 – finding real-world solutions to evolving challenges through innovation. Learn how SRC's mining services and facilities have evolved over the years from an industry expert.
Learn more
graphic with title of src blog post
Unlocking Lithium: Pairing Technology and Expertise to Increase Project Value
SRC is supporting advanced technologies, particularly green energy and electric vehicles (EVs), as the demand for critical minerals such as lithium and lithium batteries increases.
Learn more

Related Labs

beaker with mixer on purple circle

Mineral Processing

GENERAL INQUIRIES

Contact

306-933-5400