TOMRA technology used in Pilbara Minerals’ new lithium ore sorting plant

Powered by TOMRA Mining’s cutting-edge sensor-based sorting technology, the facility breaks new ground in hard-rock lithium processing, improving lithium recovery and increasing final product quality, while significantly reducing energy consumption through the elimination of waste early in the process. The new facility is part of Pilbara Minerals’ P680 Expansion Project.

The large-scale project for the design and installation of the new crushing and ore-sorting plant was delivered on schedule, within the deadlines set by Pilbara Minerals.

The successful delivery hinged on the effective collaboration and coordination of the teams from TOMRA Mining, Pilbara Minerals, international companies involved in the manufacturing and shipping of components, and multiple contractors on the work site.

Gavin Rech, Area Sales and Technical Manager Australia at TOMRA Mining, comments:

“The success of this project is a testament to TOMRA Mining’s collaborative approach and capacity to deliver innovative, large-scale, high-capacity sorting solutions tailored to the unique demands of our clients, providing continuous support from the testing and design phases right through to installation, commissioning, and beyond. What’s more, the scale and success of this plant have demonstrated to the mining industry the benefits and capacity of sorting.”

One of the challenges in lithium mining is managing spodumene ore within barren host rock. These non-lithium-bearing materials, some with densities similar to lithium-rich spodumene, complicate traditional metallurgical methods and can reduce the efficiency of downstream processes.

TOMRA Mining tackled this challenge with its high-precision sensor-based sorting technology: 10 sorters – four TOMRA XRT COM TER for fines, three TOMRA XRT COM2.0 for mid-sized particles, and three TOMRA PRO Primary Color for coarse-sized particles.

The commissioning of the world’s largest lithium ore sorting plant has delivered a sorting capacity of 1000 tph. The facility’s ability to remove barren material upstream enhances the efficiency of downstream processes, reducing energy consumption by 8 – 15 GWh annually, and ensuring consistent product quality.

Rech added:

“The ore sorters enable a better utilisation of the resource as they remove contamination from the ore upstream. This means that the wet plant does not use energy, water, and reagents to process barren ore, and that the contamination doesn’t reduce the efficiencies and recovery of the downstream plant. In addition, our sorters’ high availability and efficiency ensure consistent quality feed for the processing plant.”

Read the article online at: https://www.globalminingreview.com/mining/09012025/tomra-technology-used-in-pilbara-minerals-new-lithium-ore-sorting-plant/