Eriez Mineral Laboratory Services
Mineral Laboratory Services
Eriez has a state-of-the-art laboratory facility based in Erie, Pennsylvania dedicated to advancing mineral processing technologies. Backed by our team of engineers, the lab is positioned to offer comprehensive testing and analytical services for a wide range of mineral processing applications.
Our Mission:
- Increase the safety and profitability of your operation by optimizing the process flowsheets designed to lower OPEX and CAPEX
- Improve plant efficiency and alleviate environmental challenges
- Solve processing bottlenecks and challenges in fine and coarse flotation circuits
- Utilize our vast experience in brownfield as well as greenfield testing
Eriez Mineral Laboratory takes pride in delivering quality data in a timely manner to ensure proper equipment design benefiting your process. We follow industry set standards to validate the quality of our data.
Advanced Equipment
The lab houses a variety of equipment, including crushers, grinding mills, screens, scrubbers, benchtop flotation cells, coarse and fine flotation cells, and magnetic separation equipment. This allows for the simulation and testing of complex plant circuits.
Innovative Technologies
Eriez is known for its groundbreaking flotation technologies such as the HydroFloat® for coarse particle recovery and the StackCell® high-intensity flotation cell, which enhance the efficiency and sustainability of mineral processing.
Comprehensive Testing Services
The lab provides detailed testing and analytical services, ranging from exploratory batch testing to the evaluation of multi-stage flotation circuits. In-house assays are performed with advanced analytical capabilities including X-ray fluorescence (XRF), induced coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), fire assay, and combustion analysis for sulfur.
Expert Staff
The laboratory is staffed by highly qualified professionals with extensive experience in mineral processing, ensuring accurate and reliable results.
Environmental Focus: Eriez is committed to making mineral processing more efficient and less impactful on the environment, aligning with our vision of sustainable development.
Mineral Processing Experience:
- Copper (Cu/Mo, Cu/Au)
- Iron Ore (Magnetite, Hematite, BHQ)
- Phosphate (Sedimentary and Igneous)
- Potash
- Rare Earth Elements (REEs)
- Heavy Mineral Sands
- Silica
- Polymetallic Minerals
- Bauxite
- Nickel
- Calcite
- Gold
- Lithium (Spodumene, Lepidolite)
- Oil Sands
- Coal
- Graphite
- Silver
- Feldspar
Bench Scale Testing
Eriez metallurgists have developed years of expertise, performing test work using conventional bench-scale flotation cells. Each test program is conducted with the aim of developing or confirming an optimized chemical reagent suite and establishing a baseline flotation performance before progressing to further testwork utilizing Eriez’ proprietary flotation technologies.
In bench scale flotation testing we conduct the following spectrum of tests (but not limited to):
- Reagent Chemistry Optimization
- Kinetics Analysis
- Locked Cycle Analysis
- Reagent Confirmation Tests
- Release Analysis
- Bulk Sample Generation Capability
Fine Flotation Testing
Eriez’ proprietary StackCell and CavTube column technologies provide improved metallurgical performance for fine and ultrafine particle flotation. Through the incorporation of high turbulent kinetic energy dissipation rates and counter-current wash water systems, these technologies address many of the challenges associated with conventional mechanical flotation cells. This results in improved fine particle recovery, higher concentrate grades, and lower total cost of ownership.
Fine particle flotation testing is carried out at Eriez’ Mineral Laboratory utilizing proprietary lab-scale flotation cells that are reliably proven for commercial scale-up. The aim of such testing is to establish the grade vs. recovery relationship, utilizing the reagent suite established by bench-scale, conventional flotation testing.
Fine particle flotation testing also is used to define and optimize operating parameters and flotation conditions. These include reagent dosages, aeration rate, residence time, froth carrying capacity, froth depth, and wash water rate
Various flotation circuit configurations can be evaluated using Eriez’ fully automated four-stage CavTube column flotation circuit. This includes the incorporation of recirculating process streams as applicable.
Coarse Particle Flotation Testing
Eriez HydroFloat Coarse Particle Flotation (CPF) technology is the only commercialized flotation technology in the mining industry proven to efficiently recover coarsely liberated minerals and locked particles with <10% surface expression that are otherwise unrecoverable by conventional technology. This allows for a shift in the economic optimum grid size, in turn increasing profitability and improving the environmental sustainability of mining projects. Eriez’ Mineral Laboratory is fully equipped to conduct CPF testing for all phases of project execution.
Batch Scoping Test: These tests are performed with 1.5-2Kg of feed material to scope out chemistry, feed conditioning and HydroFloat operating parameters.
Steady-State Test: These tests are conducted on a continuous basis to build Grade vs Recovery curve.
Regrind and Cleaning Test: The HydroFloat concentrate is reground to the liberation P80 depending on the application and undergoes extensive cleaning tests
to define global circuit recovery at the target concentrate grade.
Hydraulic Classification
Eriez’ CrossFlow is a highly efficient hydraulic classifier for the separation of material based on particle size, shape, and/or density, which is based on hindered settling principles. This technology can also be used for desliming, counter-current washing and acid neutralization of minerals.
Eriez’ Mineral Laboratory is equipped with CrossFlow separators of various sizes to process samples and determine separation efficiency for a given application. This approach facilitates direct and reliable scale-up to commercial processes, including determination of optimal elutriation water rate and fluidized bed level
and/or density.
The CrossFlow Classifier has applicaions in size separation (phosphate, potash, lithium, heavy mineral sands, high-purity silica sands, and tungsten), density separatin (iron ore, coal, heavy mineral sands, garnet, carbon, metals recycling), and particle shape separation (mica).
Downloadable Documents
Testing and Technical Services
Eriez maintains an assortment of bench- and pilot-scale equipment for both laboratory and in-field evaluations. With more than 15,000 square feet of dedicated laboratory space and an array of lab and pilot equipment, Eriez has the tools to test and provide detailed process analysis and state-of-the-art solutions for nearly any application.
Instructions for how to submit a sample for testing. NOTE: Samples will be accepted only after consultation with the Eriez Sales Department. Because in many cases it is more appropriate to test at your site, Eriez offers rental equipment and on-site technical services. Contact your Eriez representative for details.
Eriez has a state-of-the-art laboratory facility based in Erie, Pennsylvania dedicated to advancing mineral processing technologies. Backed by our team of engineers, the lab is positioned to offer comprehensive testing and analytical services for a wide range of mineral processing applications