FUTURE OF COMMINUTION WORKSHOP
Introduction:
The mining industry is under increasing pressure to reduce energy and water consumption, lower emissions, and improve the sustainability of mineral processing systems. Innovation in comminution technologies will play a critical role in meeting these goals. However, assessing the maturity and readiness of emerging technologies remains complex—particularly in mining, where variability in ore types, processes, and operational constraints can significantly affect adoption outcomes.
This document presents the official report of the “Future of Comminution” Workshop, convened by CEEC International on March 30, 2025, in Cape Town, South Africa. Organized as a high-level technical forum, the workshop gathered over 40 senior professionals from mining companies, OEMs, research institutions, consulting firms, and international NGOs, all participating under Chatham House Rule.
A core feature of the workshop was a facilitated group exercise designed to explore how technologies are perceived and assessed across four thematic dimensions: economics (Capital cost, operating cost and revenue), environmental impact (power consumption, emissions, water and tailings), ability to operate (maintainability, operability and throughput), and technology readiness. This exercise was not intended to produce definitive rankings, but rather served as a structured tool to encourage technical dialogue, test current assumptions, and illuminate key gaps in evaluation frameworks and publicly available information.
This report presents a synthesis of the workshop discussions and insights, aiming to support ongoing industry efforts to develop more robust, transparent, and context-relevant frameworks for assessing technological readiness in mining.
Read the full report below: