Although there is much current emphasis on the chemical methods of mineral separation – flotation, hydrometallurgy, and bioleaching, physical separation methods are everywhere, and there is no mining operation in the world which does not make use of the density differences between solids and liquids. Whether it is gravity concentration, classification or dewatering, the principles of separation are essentially the same. The Physical Separation 2009 conference, held in Falmouth, Cornwall, UK on June 16-17, intends to bring together researchers and operators who have common interests in separation techniques, which include: (more…)