Category:Mineral processing

Mineral processing is an application of extractive metallurgy and is a series of procedures that reduces an ore to its most concentrated form for commercial use. Separating the desired mineral from extraneous materials takes several steps; processes in ore extraction include mining, size reduction (comminution) physical separation, and high and low temperature chemical processing (hydrometallurgy). Some ores also require high temperature smelting and refining (pyrometallurgy). Ore processing routes can vary depending on ore composition and economic efficiency of the processes.