Minerals Processing in South Africa: Materials Modelling Opportunities

Opportunities for materials modelling in the minerals industry are reviewed, with the South African minerals industry as an example. This industry is the main contributor to export earnings for the country, and research and development in this field is essential, owing to the decline in mineral-processing research developed countries. The main processes for the recovery of gold, platinum-group metals, ferrous metals, non-ferrous metals, and industrial minerals are described technically, and the opportunities for modelling are discussed, with the emphasis on industrial applications. Materials modelling has an important role to play in the development of more efficient and selective reagents, more valuable materials, new uses for primary commodities, and in the examination of systems that defy experimentation. Closer collaboration between academic institutions and commercial R & D organizations should be initiated to persuade the latter of the value of materials modelling.