After ore sorting, reject and concentrate materials follow separate handling paths tailored for processing or disposal.
Reject Material:
This primarily includes waste rock or low-grade ore removed during sorting. It is usually stockpiled, sent to waste dumps, or directed to tailings storage facilities (TSFs). If the material is coarse and chemically stable, it can also be used for underground backfilling to support mine stability and reduce surface disposal needs. Proper management of rejects helps prevent environmental contamination, lowers handling costs, and supports compliance with site rehabilitation requirements.
Concentrate Material:
The concentrate is the high-grade ore fraction separated during sorting and sent to downstream processes like milling, grinding, gravity separation, flotation, or leaching. Before processing, it is typically checked for consistent grade and suitable particle size. It may also be temporarily stockpiled for blending to ensure uniform feed. Proper handling of concentrate enhances metallurgical recovery, lowers processing costs, and boosts overall plant throughput(Sepro, 2019).
In summary, ore sorting enables efficient separation of materials, allowing high-grade concentrate to move directly to value-adding processes, while waste is responsibly and cost-effectively managed. This approach reduces the processing of unnecessary material, lowers tailings volume, and enhances overall mine sustainability. Handling methods depend on factors such as mine layout, processing needs, and local regulatory requirements(Understanding the Operation of Grinding Mills in the Mining and Mineral Processing Industry – NEWS – SMMVIK Machinery, n.d.).
Ore sorting enables clean separation. What downstream value does the concentrate path enable (e.g., higher recovery, better mill performance), and what sustainable solution does the reject path allow (e.g., backfilling)? Let’s discuss!
Reference:
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Sepro. (2019, September 11). Crushing and Screening for Ore Sorting Success. Sepro Mineral Systems. https://www.seprosystems.com/crushing-and-screening-for-ore-sorting-success/
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Understanding the operation of grinding mills in the mining and mineral processing industry—NEWS – SMMVIK Machinery. (n.d.). Retrieved September 17, 2025, from https://www.millvik.com/news/understanding-the-operation-of-grinding.html
