en.Wedoany.com Reported - South Africa's national mineral research institute, Mintek, held a seminar at its headquarters conference hall in Randburg, focusing on how to improve the efficiency of the country's platinum group metals (PGMs) mining industry.

Dr. Ntapo Sehlotho, a principal researcher at Mintek, introduced the institute's research capabilities in mineral chemistry and behavior prediction. Established in 1934 by an Act of Parliament, this state-owned institution with over 90 years of history can process various sample types, including rock, core, and crushed materials. The institute is equipped with a range of instruments and microscopes to identify PGMs, which hold a significant position in South Africa's economy. Dr. Sehlotho explained that the institute can help clients identify mineral types, such as sulfides or alloys, and determine the degree of mineral liberation, a key prerequisite for obtaining concentrates. Additionally, it can measure particle size and its association with valuable minerals and gangue.

Dr. Sehlotho noted that with declining ore grades, the industry's need to maximize metal recovery, and increasingly stringent requirements for tailings dam safety, mineralogical research has become crucial for the PGMs industry. She added that ore compositions are becoming more complex, production issues require rapid resolution, and the operational performance of processing plants must remain stable.

To address these challenges, Mintek employs a mineralogical approach, making scientific process decisions based on raw material characteristics. In her opening remarks, Dr. Elma Muller, Executive Director of Hydrometallurgy at Mintek, mentioned that the institute is fortunate to have a 34-hectare site.