FLS KREBS OSA online analyser: grind control and circuit stability for plant metallurgists
Reviewed by Joe Ashwell

First reported on International Mining – News
30 Second Briefing
FLSmidth has launched the KREBS® OSA, an online particle size analyser that measures particle size distribution continuously and in real time directly in the process stream, rather than via manual sampling and lab assays. Installed on the grinding circuit, the unit gives immediate feedback on mill and cyclone performance, allowing operators to adjust variables such as feed rate, water addition and classification cut size without waiting for batch results. For plant metallurgists, this supports tighter control of grind size, more stable circulating loads and reduced risk of off-spec flotation feed.
Technical Brief
- Continuous measurement reduces reliance on manual grab samples, cutting labour demand and operator exposure around mills.
- Direct in-line analysis eliminates intermediate sample handling, reducing segregation, dilution and timing errors.
- Automated data capture enables integration with advanced control systems for closed-loop grind-size optimisation.
- Plants using conventional lab-based PSD checks gain faster detection of liner wear or media performance changes.
- Similar in-stream analysers are increasingly specified on greenfield concentrators to justify higher design throughputs.
Our Take
FLSmidth’s launch of the KREBS® OSA sits alongside its recent semi-mobile crushing installation at Vale’s S11D iron ore mine, signalling a push to control more of the comminution–classification value chain with proprietary hardware and measurement systems.
With a former Service Business Line head now CEO, as reported in February 2026, FLSmidth is likely to position the OSA as a service-led optimisation tool (rather than a stand-alone instrument), tying particle-size analytics into performance-based service contracts.
In our database of 1,197 mining stories, FLSmidth appears frequently in ‘Projects’ and ‘Product’ pieces, and the OSA continues that pattern of targeting brownfield throughput and recovery gains rather than greenfield mega-project builds.
Prepared by collating external sources, AI-assisted tools, and Geomechanics.io’s proprietary mining database, then reviewed for technical accuracy & edited by our geotechnical team.
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