The mineral processing group at SSW is actively engaged in both contract and academic research within the mineral processing sector of the Canadian mining industry. The group focuses on the relationship between mineral (ore) chemistry and the recovery strategy of a particular process. The overall goal of the research is to identify opportunities for process optimization through evaluation and improved understanding of the process.
In order to accomplish these goals, the academic component of our research is directed towards innovative strategies which utilize advanced surface chemical analytical tools to better understand fundamentals controlling various aspects of a particular metallurgical process. The research is primarily driven by the needs of the mineral processing industry in the context of cost reduction, productivity improvement and ultimately a reduction in the overall environmental foot print of an operation.
The team has been successfully implementing these strategies and tools to commercial metallurgical performance issues for the past 10 years. The group annually provides mineral processing contract research to 15 different companies and generates on the order of 30 detailed reports related to various aspects of process understanding and optimization. Results from the research group activities also regularly appear in academic journals and members of the team are encouraged to attend and present materials at relevant conferences. Some examples of recent publications are listed below.
1) Xia, L., Hart, B., Loshusan, B. A Tof-SIMS analysis of the effect of lead nitrate on rare earth flotation (2015) Minerals Engineering, 70, pp. 119-129.
2) Xia, L., Hart, B., Douglas, K. The role of citric acid in the flotation separation of rare earth from the silicates (2015) Minerals Engineering, 74, pp. 123-129.
3) Chehreh Chelgani, S., Hart, B. TOF-SIMS studies of surface chemistry of minerals subjected to flotation separation – A review (2014) Minerals Engineering, 57, pp. 1-11.
4) Chelgani, S.C., Hart, B., Biesinger, M., Marois, J., Ourriban, M. Pyrochlore surface oxidation in relation to matrix Fe composition: A study by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (2014) Minerals Engineering, 55, pp. 165-171.
5) Hart, B., Dimov, S., Xia, L. REE bearing mineral recovery: A microflotation and surface chemistry study using hydroxamate collectors and citric acid (2014) IMPC 2014 – 27th International Mineral Processing Congress.
6) Smart, R.S.C., Gerson, A.R., Hart, B.R., Beattie, D.A., Young, C. Innovations in measurement of mineral structure and surface chemistry in flotation: Past, present, and future (2014) Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy: 100 Years of Innovation, pp. 577-602.
7) Smart, R., Xu, N., Fan, R., Gerson, A., Hart, B. A strategic approach to flotation losses due to mineralogy and surface chemistry (2014) IMPC 2014 – 27th International Mineral Processing Congress.
8) Dimov, S., Hart, B. Quantitative analysis of sub-microscopic and surface preg-robbed gold in gold deportment studies (2014) IMPC 2014 – 27th International Mineral Processing Congress.
9) Chehreh Chelgani, S., Hart, B., Marois, J., Ourriban, M. Study the relationship between the compositional zoning of high iron content pyrochlore and adsorption of cationic collector (2013) Minerals Engineering, 46-47, pp. 34-37.
10) Chehreh Chelgani, S., Hart, B., Xia, L. A TOF-SIMS surface chemical analytical study of rare earth element minerals from micro-flotation tests products (2013) Minerals Engineering, 45, pp. 32-40.
Surface Science Western 
