BHP, a global resources company focused on sustainable mining and innovation, and Eriez, a leader in advanced mineral processing solutions, today announced the successful commissioning of a HydroFloat coarse particle flotation (CPF) plant at BHP’s Carrapateena mine. This milestone represents a significant advance in sustainable, high-efficiency mineral recovery for the worldwide mining industry.
Completed through close collaboration among BHP, Eriez, VOLPRO Pty Ltd, and Paradocs Metallurgy. The CPF project integrated HydroFloat technology into the existing processing circuit. From installation through commissioning and optimisation, the teams worked together, meeting performance targets on an accelerated schedule and within budget.
HydroFloat CPF recovers coarse, high-value particles that conventional flotation often loses to tailings, increasing metal recovery and plant throughput while supporting more sustainable operations and better tailings management. The HydroFloat technology will:
- Increase overall ore throughput at Carrapateena to around 20,000 ore tonnes per day.
- Reduce power consumption by allowing the mill to use a coarser grind size.
- Improve overall metal recovery
Anna Wiley, Asset President, BHP Copper South Australia, said, “We are making great progress in building our South Australian copper province. This is a massive achievement for our team and a significant step forward for our Copper SA operations.”
“The HydroFloat is a compelling example of the smart technology, innovative thinking and investment in productivity that will carry our business forward in South Australia. As a first-of-its-kind for BHP, this breakthrough will substantially increase Carrapateena’s processing capacity while maintaining recovery.”
“BHP’s focus on innovation and operational excellence was critical to the success of this project,” said Jose Concha, Global Director of Mining Products at Eriez. “The trust, transparency, and teamwork with the Carrapateena operations team, VOLPRO Pty Ltd and Paradocs Metallurgy have raised the bar for future HydroFloat deployments.”
The plant is fully operational and producing results in line with expectations, paving the way for broader adoption of HydroFloat CPF in base and precious metals processing. Eriez, BHP and its partners will continue to refine the technology and CPF flowsheets, share insights, and evaluate opportunities to expand HydroFloat applications across other operations.
About BHP
BHP is a global resources company producing essential commodities including iron ore, copper, and nickel, with operations across Australia and the Americas. Guided by its purpose to bring people and resources together to build a better world, BHP is committed to safety, sustainability, innovation, and long-term value creation. Learn more at https://www.bhp.com/
About Copper South Australia
BHP’s Copper SA asset is a world-class copper province in the far north of South Australia. Copper SA has three underground mines at Olympic Dam, Prominent Hill and Carrapateena, that feed a centralised smelter and refinery at Olympic Dam. There is also an exploration project at Oak Dam, which could be a future fourth mine in the province.
Copper SA has a workforce of 8,000 people including minesite contractors, and last year produced ~316,000 tonnes of copper. The world needs more copper, with global demand projected to grow 70% by 2050, driven by population growth, rising living standards, and the energy transition. This presents a generational opportunity for South Australia, which is home to two-thirds of Australia’s copper resources – some of the finest copper resources in the world.