Like the International Space Station (ISS), UQ's Collaborative Consortium for Coarse Particle Processing Research (CPR Program) is a shared research platform where rivals turn fundamental research into practical applications.
The CPR, now heading into a second five-year phase, helps some of the world’s biggest mining companies to work together to advance the research and innovation they need to produce the billion tonnes of copper required for everything from electric vehicle wiring, smart grids and other energy transition technologies.
A collaborative research partnership
From 2020-2025, the CPR Program, led by researchers from UQ’s Sustainable Minerals Institute, has worked with a wide array of mining companies which contributed funding and industry know-how to the research efforts.
The second phase (2025-2030) partner companies include Eriez Flotation Division, Newmont, Hudbay Minerals, Rio Tinto Technological Resources, Capstone Copper Corporation, BHP Group Operations, Vale Technology Development (Canada), Northparkes Mining Services and Corporación Nacional del Cobre de Chile (Codelco).
CPR Program Director and Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Centre (JKMRC) Associate Professor Liza Forbes explained that one of the biggest successes from the first phase of the consortium was the JKHFmini, a bench scale fluidised bed flotation device developed at UQ. With just 1-2 kilograms of sample rock, it can help predict the performance of full-scale coarse particle mineral processing.
“We’ve developed this specific technology, but now we can use it to generate more knowledge about any part of the flotation process,” Associate Professor Forbes said.
The research to date has focused on understanding and expanding of capabilities of coarse particle flotation technologies, including fluidised bed flotation, which all contribute towards the ability to separate valuable minerals from rock without the need for grinding the rock as finely.
Comminution, the crushing and grinding of rock, in mining consumes huge amounts of power (estimated at 2% of all electrical energy generated on Earth) and these technologies could both reduce mine waste and energy requirements.
Benefits for mining companies
Associate Professor Forbes explained that because the consortium’s work is pre-competitive, that is, research done before commercial competition begins, all companies benefit from the faster progression of technological development.
“Our partners are getting a great return on their investment: for the price of one research project, they are getting the outcomes equivalent to eight research projects,” she said.
Manqiu Xu, Head – Mineral Processing Technology and Innovation, Vale Base Metals explained that coarse particle flotation has the potential to represent a significant advancement in mineral processing, supporting earlier separation and potential reductions in energy use, costs, and tailings volumes.
"Our collaboration with industry peers and the University of Queensland is playing an important role in progressing this technology toward productive industrial use," he said.
Future vision
“The CPR Program demonstrates how strategic partnerships between industry and research institutions can unlock innovation that shapes the future of mineral processing globally,” said Professor Rick Valenta, Director, Sustainable Minerals Institute.
One example of this kind of beneficial relationship has been the collaboration of the CPR Program with the ARC Centre of Excellence for Enabling Eco-Efficient Beneficiation of Minerals (COEMinerals), an Australian government-funded research centre.
“We need all the industry players on board if we’re going to develop and roll out the technologies needed to have enough copper to drive the energy transition,” Associate Professor Forbes said, “Like the ISS before it, the CPR Program will hopefully spend decades spinning off benefits and serve as a model of cooperation.”
