Separation technology leader Eriez will demonstrate how mining companies can extract more value from waste streams when the company presents its CavTube column flotation system at CRU Phosphates+Potash 2026 next week.
Michele Tuchscherer, Global Product Manager for Column Flotation at Eriez, will deliver a technical paper titled "Sustainable Slimes Beneficiation in Phosphate and Potash Operations Using CavTube Columns" during the Beneficiation and Separation session on April 14. The presentation addresses a persistent challenge facing fertilizer producers who must increase output while reducing environmental impact.
Joining Tuchscherer at the conference will be Todd Burchett, head of mining and minerals, and Drew Hobert, global director of business development for mining. The team will provide technical insights into CavTube applications and discuss how operators can integrate advanced flotation technologies into existing processing circuits.
Industry faces recovery challenge
Phosphate and potash producers increasingly struggle with conventional flotation systems that fail to capture ultrafine particles effectively. These processing limitations result in lost revenue opportunities, expanded tailings volumes, and higher water consumption across operations.
The problem stems from the physics of traditional flotation, where ultrafine mineral particles often escape recovery due to poor bubble-particle collision dynamics. Mining companies typically discard these materials as waste, despite their commercial value.
Eriez developed its CavTube system specifically to address these recovery limitations. The technology combines high-shear cavitation tube technology with column flotation principles to enhance bubble-particle collision kinetics. This integrated approach enables operators to recover fine and ultrafine mineral fractions that conventional circuits typically lose.
The system builds on Eriez's decades of experience developing fine particle recovery and flotation technologies for mining operations worldwide. Company engineers designed CavTube technology to work within existing plant infrastructure, avoiding the need for major capital expansions.
Proven performance results
Pilot-scale case studies that Tuchscherer will present demonstrate significant operational improvements. Testing shows recovery gains reaching 15%, along with reduced tailings volumes and improved water recovery rates. These performance enhancements deliver measurable resource efficiency gains while helping operators address water scarcity, land-use restrictions, and long-term tailings management challenges.
The technology enables beneficiation of phosphate and potash slimes that producers would otherwise discard. This capability allows operators to recover valuable material from waste streams, supporting improved overall plant recovery and feed utilization efficiency.
"Producers must increase recovery from existing circuits while meeting increasingly stringent environmental constraints," Tuchscherer said. "CavTube column flotation enables the recovery of ultrafine material typically lost to tailings, delivering measurable gains in both resource efficiency and overall plant performance."
Conference engagement opportunities
Eriez representatives will maintain a presence throughout the conference to discuss specific applications of CavTube technology for phosphate and potash operations. Attendees can meet the technical team at Stand 35 to explore implementation strategies and review case study results.
The company will provide detailed technical documentation and application guidance for operators considering flotation circuit upgrades or expansions.
Additional information about CavTube technology and other flotation solutions is available at www.Eriez.com/flotation
April 13, 2026
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