Valmet slurry flow specialist Juha Häkkinen sets out how flotation performance hinges on stable level control, correct valve sizing and consistent aeration across conventional cells, columns and flash flotation circuits. He focuses on control-valve behaviour in slurry duties, including cavitation, erosion and hysteresis, and how poor valve selection destabilises froth depth and air–slurry mixing. The piece points to tighter valve control and tailored trim designs as practical levers to improve recovery and reduce reagent overuse in brownfield flotation plants.

Platinum Blasting Services has secured the drill-and-blast contract for Argo Natural Resources’ New Burton Mine in Queensland’s Bowen Basin, extending a relationship established through similar services at the Broadlea Mine over the past two years. The scope will cover production drilling and blasting for open-cut coal operations in one of Australia’s highest-intensity blasting regions, where tight control of vibration, overpressure and fragmentation is critical for nearby infrastructure and dragline/shovel productivity. For mine planners and geotechnical teams, continuity of a single blasting contractor across Broadlea and New Burton should simplify blast design benchmarking, wall control practices and reconciliation of fragmentation performance.

Epiroc has agreed to acquire France-based Aramine SAS, a specialist supplier of spare parts and related services for underground mining equipment headquartered in Aix-en-Provence. Aramine brings more than 50 years of underground mining experience, a workforce of about 65 employees and a global customer base spanning over 70 countries. The deal signals Epiroc’s push to deepen its aftermarket footprint, particularly in spares and service support for underground fleets where lifecycle costs and parts availability are critical.