Shaping the industry with energy efficient comminution technology

Comminution, the process of crushing and grinding ore, is essential to mining. However, it accounts for around 2% of the world’s total energy consumption, highlighting the importance of developing new energy-saving technologies. In remote regions of the world, energy efficiency can even be a crucial factor for mining projects to secure grid access, and for operations with standalone power systems, it directly influences the cost of site setup.  

In addition to minimizing environmental impact and reducing project start-up costs, energy efficiency contributes to substantial operational cost-savings for mining customers. For a typical plant processing 100,000 tons of ore per day, a 5% reduction in comminution energy can translate to as much as USD 3–5 million in annual savings. With the help of Metso’s advanced technology, the savings can even exceed this benchmark.

Our solutions include Vertimill® and HIGmill™ stirred mills and Stirred Media Detritor (SMD) as well as HRC™e High Pressure Grinding Roll (HPGR) with cutting-edge flange technology. These technologies require less energy for grinding ore and improve process performance through enhanced particle size control.

In 2025, the growing global demand for energy-efficient comminution solutions was evident in Metso's order intake. We delivered equipment to countries such as Australia, Brazil, Guyana, India, Malaysia, Namibia, Oman, and Tanzania, where the technology helps our customers address energy efficiency, capital and operating costs, reliability and availability. During the year we also strengthened our comminution portfolio through the acquisition of our long-term partner Swiss Tower Mills Minerals AG (STM), a company known for its expertise in vertical grinding mills.

Going forward, Metso will continue to advance technologies that improve energy and cost efficiency, such as early waste rejection to eliminate excess grinding, and coarse particle flotation to reduce energy use in grinding stages. In addition to providing optimal comminution flowsheets, Metso supports customers with upgrades, digital solutions, and expert services to further improve operational efficiency.