As high-grade ore reserves naturally deplete worldwide, mining companies are facing a tough operational reality: head grades are declining, while traditional processing costs continue to rise.
At the same time, sitting right on the surface of many mature mines are millions of tons of historical waste rock piles and low-grade stockpiles. Decades ago, without precise sorting technology, vast amounts of mineralized rock were classified as "uneconomic" and dumped aside.
Today, processing these margina
