Newsletter
Hindustan Zinc has signed a deal with US-based Virginia Tech to improve silver recovery from its mining operations.
By teaming up with Virginia Tech, a leading research university in mining and metallurgical engineering, the company gets access to advanced research and real-world testing to optimise its processing plants.
What’s going on: the partnership will focus on improving flotation, a mineral processing method used to separate valuable metals from mined ore. Researchers will study how different chemicals, minerals and water conditions interact during processing to improve recovery rates and concentrate quality.
The goal is to extract more silver from the same ore while improving plant efficiency across Hindustan Zinc’s lead–zinc concentrator facilities.
By working directly with industry, we can apply our cutting-edge research on mineral recovery to real operational challenges and opportunities. This ensures our discoveries go beyond advancing knowledge.” said Aaron Noble, Head of Mining and Minerals Engineering, Virginia Tech
Why this is important: Hindustan Zinc is already among the top five silver producers globally. Even small improvements in recovery rates can significantly boost output and profitability, especially when silver prices are strong.
The collaboration will also include training programs, workshops and technical exchanges, helping Hindustan Zinc’s engineers strengthen their in-house metallurgical capabilities and prepare plants for future ore variability.
