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.
Michelle Tochscherer, Global Product Manager for Column Flotation at Eriez, will present a technical paper titled “Sustainable Slurry Enrichment in Phosphate and Potash Operations Using CavTube Columns” during the enrichment and class session on April 14. The presentation addresses the ongoing challenge facing fertilizer producers who must increase production while minimizing environmental impact.
Tochscherer will be joined at the conference by Todd Burchett, Head of Mining and Metals, and Drew Hubert, Global Director of Mining Business Development. The team will provide technical insights into CavTube applications and discuss how operators can integrate advanced flotation technologies into existing processing circuits.
The industry faces the challenge of recovery
Phosphate and potash producers are increasingly suffering from traditional flotation systems that fail to effectively capture ultrafine particles. These processing limitations result in lost revenue opportunities, increased waste volumes, and increased water consumption across operations.
The problem stems from the physics of conventional flotation, where ultrafine mineral particles often escape recovery due to poor bubble-particle collision dynamics. Mining companies usually dispose of these materials as waste, despite their commercial value.
Eriez developed its CavTube system specifically to address these recovery limitations. This technology combines high-shear cavitation tube technology with column flotation principles to enhance the collision kinetics of bubbles and particles. This integrated approach enables operators to recover micro- and ultra-fine metal parts that are typically lost to conventional circuits.
The system builds on Erez’s decades of experience developing fine particle recovery and flotation technologies for mining operations around the world. The company’s engineers designed the CavTube technology to work within the plant’s existing infrastructure, avoiding the need for major capital expansions.
Proven performance results
The experimental case studies that Toschscherer will present show significant operational improvements. Testing shows recovery gains of up to 15%, along with reduced waste volumes and improved water recovery rates. These performance improvements provide measurable gains in resource efficiency, while helping operators address water scarcity, land use constraints, and long-term waste management challenges.
This technology allows the enrichment of phosphate and potash clays that producers would otherwise discard. This capability allows operators to recover valuable materials from waste streams, supporting improved overall plant recovery and feed use efficiency.
“Producers must increase recovery from existing circuits while facing increasingly stringent environmental constraints,” Teuscherer said. “CavTube column flotation allows recovery of ultrafine materials that would normally be lost to tailings, providing measurable gains in both resource efficiency and overall plant performance.”
Opportunities to participate in the conference
Erez representatives will remain present 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 to operators considering flotation circuit upgrades or expansions.
Additional information about CavTube technology and other flotation solutions is available at www.Eriez.com/flotation
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