:: Mineral Liberation Analyser (MLA) Technology Advances into China

In a coup for JKTech, Australia and the MLA team, Chinese miner and chemical producer Jinchuan Group Ltd has become the first user of mineral liberation analysis technology in Asia.

Jinchuan (JNMC) is a giant mining corporation even in Chinese terms. Situated in central China, JNMC is China's largest producer of nickel, cobalt and platinum. The Jinchuan Group employs over 100,000 people across its integrated mining, chemical manufacture and service areas.

JNMC is currently establishing their own Minerals Engineering Research Institute, which is where JKTech and the analyser will play an important role in technology collaboration.

According to Dr Geoff Gault, Managing Director of JKTech, the MLA will be a centerpiece of the new Jinchuan Research Institute.

The MLA will be used as an important tool for analysing various products from the JNMC mineral concentrators, as well as evaluating ore deposits."This will take outdated manual mineral identification into a new realm of automation and quality assurance currently used at mining operations in Australia, North America and Southern Africa,"Dr Gault said.

"I think why Jinchuan chose us over the competition is simply because the MLA is more advanced technology and they saw the benefit from other JK technologies and methodologies for application in mineral concentrators,"Dr Gault said.

"The MLA is recognised as the technology leader in this field and the mining industry has rapidly adopted its application."

During April 2006 technologists from Jinchuan visited JKTech's Brisbane headquarters to undergo MLA training under the direction of JKTech's MLA Group Manager Dr Ying Gu.

Both Dr Ying Gu and Dr Geo. Gault expect this to be the start of a long and productive relationship between JKTech and the Jinchuan Group.