Definition
Beneficiation is the process of physically separating the valuable minerals from the waste rock (gangue) before any chemical processing takes place. This typically involves crushing, grinding, and froth flotation.
The Goal
The goal is to increase the grade (TREO) of the rock while reducing the mass that needs to be transported. A mine might dig up rock that is 2% TREO and beneficiate it into a “Concentrate” that is 40% TREO.