Leading engineering and mining technology company The Weir Group PLC, and CiDRA Minerals
Processing Inc, a leader in mineral processing technologies, have announced that they have signed a
global collaboration agreement alongside a strategic investment by Weir in CiDRA’s mining business.
This partnership will accelerate the commercialisation and deployment of CiDRA’s P29 technology, which introduces an innovative mineral separation solution and unlocks novel flowsheet designs. Under the terms of the agreement, Weir and CiDRA will collaborate globally to leverage the benefits of the P29 technology to develop and deliver transformative flowsheet solutions to help mining companies meet the challenges of reduced head grades, water restrictions, reduced carbon emissions, and tailings impound safety.
CiDRA’s P29 utilises its proprietary engineered hydrophobic media
CiDRA’s P29 Technology is a novel mineral separation platform applicable to a broad range of minerals. Utilising CiDRA’s proprietary engineered hydrophobic media, the process decouples and independently optimises the key steps of particle selectivity and attachment, transport, and stripping/release. This enables highly selective recovery across a wide particle size range – from ultra-fine to coarse – while minimising hydraulic entrainment. P29 supports innovative flowsheet designs that reduce energy and water use and unlock significant improvements in mineral recovery and operational efficiency.
Commenting on the agreement, Andrew Neilson, President of Weir’s Minerals division said: “We are excited to collaborate with CiDRA, whose track record of innovation aligns strongly with Weir’s mission to deliver mining technology for a sustainable future. CiDRA’s P29 technology has the potential to unlock enhanced productivity and sustainability for customers and we’re pleased to help bring that impact to mines around the world.”
Kevin Didden, CEO of CiDRA added: “This strategic partnership with Weir represents a transformative opportunity for CiDRA to scale its innovative P29 technology with a partner that has global reach, a customer-centric approach and that is deeply embedded in the mining value chain. Together, we aim to shift the paradigm in minerals processing by enabling mining companies to significantly reduce energy and ESG related impacts per tonne of metal produced, while unlocking substantial value from in-ground assets.”
Through this partnership, CiDRA and Weir will jointly develop and deliver cutting-edge mineral processing flowsheets that combine increased throughput with high-efficiency comminution and mineral separation solutions, with the aim of reducing energy and water usage per tonne of metal produced. The collaboration will combine CiDRA’s innovation engine with Weir’s extensive customer-centric global footprint, complementary product range and vertically integrated operating model.
Together, the companies say they will drive forward a shared vision: to make mining smarter, more efficient, and more sustainable – delivering enhanced resource recovery with reduced environmental impact per tonne of metal produced.
Out in the market, BHP stated in June 2024 in its Program for Environment Protection and Rehabilitation filing for the Carrapateena copper operation in South Australia that the site is trialling the CiDRA P29 coarse particle separation process with the aim of increasing the MPP throughput by relaxing the primary grind size.
BHP: “The CiDRA process treats the whole MPP tails, including both rougher and cleaner tails via a proprietary coarse particle recovery unit operation which is capable of directly handling the entire size distribution of the incoming tails stream. This recovery technology has very high selectivity such that the resultant mass recovery is as low as 1% to 3% with a concentrate grade equal or greater than the rougher flotation concentrate grade. This coarse particle recovery stream is subsequently directed to the regrind circuit for further processing as per the existing MPP flowsheet. The trial plant would process up to 5 t/day with the material subsequently returned to the existing MPP…subject to the outcomes of trials, BHP may implement the CiDRA process within the Carrapateena MPP process flowsheet.”