The development of minerals engineering in the 20th century

Minerals engineering, and particularly mineral processing, has developed during this century from a relatively crude process operation performed by the mining engineer to a serious professional discipline in its own right, involving utilisation of engineering, physical, chemical, and increasingly biological principles.

This paper shows how minerals engineering, particularly base metal mineral processing, has had to adapt to lower ore grades and the increasingly refractory nature of mined ores, as well as to periods of deep recession within the industry.