Metso’s Yitirrti processing package: flowsheet and interface notes for mine engineers
Reviewed by Tom Sullivan
First reported on Australian Mining
30 Second Briefing
Metso has secured orders from GR Engineering Services to supply key mineral processing equipment for Develop Global’s Yitirrti copper‑zinc‑silver project (formerly Sulphur Springs) in Western Australia, with the contract booked in Metso’s Minerals segment Q2 2026 order intake. The package is expected to cover core concentrator technology such as crushing and grinding circuits and downstream flotation for high‑grade sulphide ore. For engineers, this signals imminent detailed design and equipment selection, locking in Metso process flowsheets and interfaces for GR Engineering’s EPC delivery.
Technical Brief
- Order value remains undisclosed, limiting benchmarking of unit process costs and capex allocation.
- Booking into Metso’s Minerals segment Q2 2026 order book fixes revenue timing for the OEM.
- GR Engineering’s role as purchaser confirms integration of Metso equipment into its EPC process plant scope.
- Former Sulphur Springs naming clarifies continuity with historic feasibility and permitting datasets for the site.
- High-grade classification suggests compact plant footprint and potentially smaller grinding and flotation residence volumes.
- Undisclosed pricing and configuration will complicate comparative cost studies for future copper-zinc concentrator tenders.
Our Take
Metso’s repeat appearance with GR Engineering Services and Develop Global in the 20 August item on the same Yitirrti copper‑zinc‑silver project suggests a bundled, multi-phase supply strategy rather than a one‑off equipment sale, which can de‑risk ramp-up for a greenfield base metals plant in Western Australia.
In our database of 1305 Mining stories, copper and zinc projects with 2026 equipment order books, like Yitirrti, typically target first production soon after, so the 2026 Q2 booking window likely signals a tight construction and commissioning schedule for Develop Global.
Metso’s concurrent €25 million processing order for the Yenipazar polymetallic mine in Türkiye (25 August) indicates that its copper and zinc processing portfolio is being leveraged across both Australian and international polymetallic projects, which may give Develop Global access to a more mature flowsheet and service network for Yitirrti.
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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