Mineral Processing Pilot Plants

Pilot Plants and Laboratory Equipment

Westpro’s Mineral Processing Pilot Plants and Laboratory Equipment provide configurable solutions for mineral processing testing, demonstration, and process development across critical minerals, base metals, precious metals, and industrial minerals. These systems enable teams to evaluate ore characteristics, test process concepts, validate flowsheets, and generate data to support equipment selection, process optimization, and scale-up.

Systems can be arranged for batch or continuous operation, depending on the process and testing objectives. A broad range of standard equipment, combined with customization options, allows each system to be tailored to specific material characteristics, process requirements, and emerging technologies.

WESTPRO PROVIDES LABORATORY SYSTEMS AND COMPLETE PILOT PLANTS

Containerized Pilot Plant

Westpro’s Containerized Pilot Plant places mineral processing equipment within purpose-built shipping containers, creating a compact solution for projects where transportation, installation time, and site infrastructure are important considerations.

A containerized plant can house Crushing, Grinding, Flotation, and Dewatering equipment, along with the necessary piping, electrical systems, instrumentation, controls, and auxiliary equipment. The configuration supports deployment at mine sites, remote locations, research facilities, laboratories, and demonstration sites, with reduced field assembly and commissioning requirements.

Individual circuits can also be operated independently, allowing specific stages to be tested and optimized before integrated into a complete process.

Hopper Feeder

Integrated at the beginning of the Crushing and Grinding Circuit, the Hopper Feeder provides controlled and consistent material flow to the processing stages. The hopper holds the feed material while the feeder regulates discharge, supporting consistent throughput and flexible feed-rate control.

The system integrates seamlessly with crushing, grinding, screening, conveying, and automated process-control equipment, accommodating different feed materials, capacities, and material flow requirements.

Hopper Feeder and Ball Mill in Westpro Pilot Plants

Hopper Feeder Pilot Plant in Westpro Pilot Plants

Crushing System

The crushing circuit provides controlled size reduction of feed material for downstream processing. A feed hopper and controlled feeder regulate material flow into the circuit, while jaw, cone, or rolls crushers progressively reduce the feed to the required size. Screens classify the crushed material, and conveyors transfer and discharge material through the process.

Westpro’s Pilot Crushing systems integrate feeders, Jaw, Cone, and Roll Crushers, Screens, Conveyors, and product handling into one coordinated system. Crushers can be configured for skid-mounted, modular, or containerized applications, providing a flexible and scalable crushing solution.

Grinding System

Westpro’s Pilot-Scale Grinding Mills provide the consistent material size reduction necessary for downstream mineral processing. This stage allows for continuous efficiency, with the vibrating screen separating and classifying the ground product, and directing selected material fractions to the next appropriate stage of the process. The system can be configured for different feed materials, throughput requirements, and target particle sizes.

Our Pilot Plants Grinding System combines size reduction and particle-size separation within a controlled material-processing flow. The system brings together proven grinding and screening within a shipping container module that can operate independently or as part of a full Westpro processing system. This configuration offers unmatched site-to-site flexibility, ease-of-maintenance, and reduces any environmental footprint.

Flotation

Following grinding and classification, the slurry enters the flotation circuit, where valuable minerals are selectively separated and recovered through controlled aeration and reagent conditioning.

The system can include conditioning tanks, flotation cells, pumps, piping, air systems, instrumentation, and controls. Rougher, scavenger, and cleaner stages can be configured to suit different ore types and process requirements.

Designed for pilot-scale testing, the modular flotation system provides flexibility to evaluate recovery, grade, reagent consumption, residence time, and overall flotation performance.

Dewatering System

The Filtrado System employs Westpro’s proven Thickener technology to remove excess water from the concentrated mineral product to produce a manageable, transportable, and higher-solids product. The system can incorporate thickeners, slurry pumps, filter presses, piping, instrumentation, and associated equipment within a compact pilot-scale configuration.

After passing through the Thickener, recovered water is collected and returned to the process circuit, supporting water conservation and reducing fresh-water requirements. The modular design allows the dewatering circuit to be operated independently for testing and optimization or integrated with the flotation and upstream processing circuits as part of a complete containerized pilot plants.

Key Benefits of a Modular & Containerized Pilot Plants

Rapid Deployment

Pre-engineered and pre-assembled modules reduce on-site installation and commissioning time.

Flexible Process Configuration

Individual modules can be selected, arranged, and interconnected to match different mineral processing flowsheets.

Transportable Design

Containerized and skid-mounted modules can be efficiently transported between mine sites, laboratories, and remote testing locations.

Reduced Site Infrastructure

Integrated equipment, piping, electrical systems, instrumentation, and controls minimize the need for permanent site infrastructure.

Simplified Installation

Systems can be assembled, wired, and tested prior to shipment, reducing field installation requirements.

Integrated Process Testing

Multiple modules can be connected to evaluate a complete flowsheet—from crushing and grinding through flotation, dewatering, and other downstream processes.