Sensor-based ore sorting is moving beyond its role as an experimental or supplementary mining technology, with producers increasingly incorporating pre-concentration into mine and processing plant designs. The shift reflects a growing focus on reducing the amount of waste entering energy-intensive processing circuits, particularly as declining ore grades force operators to handle greater volumes of material to maintain production levels.
Pilgangoora Highlights Growing Role of Ore Sorting
A major example is TOMRA Mining, which has been selected to supply 22 X-ray transmission sorters for the proposed P2000 expansion at Pilgangoora in Western Australia.
The lithium operation already operates 10 sorters, with the existing installation capable of processing more than 1,000 tonnes per hour. The planned expansion would give sorting a significantly greater role in the overall processing strategy, moving it from a supplementary pre-concentration technology toward a central component of the operation. The underlying economics are increasingly attractive. By removing waste before milling, mining companies can reduce the volume of material that requires grinding, flotation, reagents and tailings storage. At Pilgangoora, existing sorting operations have been associated with estimated electricity savings of approximately 8-15 GWh annually.
Lower Grades Increase the Value of Pre-Concentration
The benefits become more significant as ore grades decline. Conventional mine expansions generally require operators to process increasing quantities of rock to maintain metal production. That can mean larger grinding circuits, greater energy consumption, higher reagent use and additional tailings capacity. Ore sorting provides an alternative approach by improving the quality of feed before material reaches the processing plant.
Instead of simply expanding processing capacity, operators can potentially reduce the amount of low-value material entering the plant in the first place. This approach is particularly relevant to lithium pegmatites, where differences between spodumene-bearing ore and barren material can provide favourable conditions for sensor-based separation. The technology is not limited to lithium. Similar sorting applications are being evaluated across copper, tungsten, tin, gold and polymetallic deposits, reflecting broader interest in pre-concentration across the mining sector.
Geological Conditions Remain Critical
The potential of ore sorting depends heavily on geology and the ability of sensors to consistently distinguish valuable material from waste at commercial processing rates. That makes representative bulk testing an important part of evaluating whether a sorting system can deliver reliable results at industrial scale.
Ore characteristics, particle size, mineral distribution and the contrast between ore and waste can all influence sorting performance. As a result, the technology cannot simply be transferred from one operation to another without demonstrating that the geological conditions support effective separation.
From Environmental Benefit to Processing Economics
The development at Pilgangoora illustrates a broader change in how miners are assessing ore sorting. The technology is increasingly being considered not only for its potential environmental and energy benefits, but also for its ability to change the economics and physical scale of mineral processing. Removing waste before grinding can lower energy demand while also reducing the amount of material requiring downstream treatment and disposal.
That creates the possibility of building smaller or more efficiently utilized processing infrastructure while maintaining the required production of valuable minerals. As a result, ore sorting is gaining a more prominent position in mining feasibility studies, particularly for operations facing declining grades, rising processing costs and increasing pressure to improve resource efficiency. Pilgangoora points to a wider trend in the mining industry: rather than processing more rock to sustain output, producers are increasingly looking at ways to ensure that more of the material entering the plant is economically valuable.
