Eriez, a global leader in separation technologies, will present its CavTube column flotation system at CRU Phosphates+Potash 2026, highlighting how producers can recover ultrafine material from tailings while improving sustainability and overall plant performance.

Michele Tuchscherer, Global Product Manager – Column Flotation at Eriez, will deliver a technical paper titled “Sustainable Slimes Beneficiation in Phosphate and Potash Operations Using CavTube Columns”. The presentation will form part of the Beneficiation and Separation in Phosphate and Potash session on 14 April.

Eriez experts Todd Burchett, Head of Mining and Minerals, and Drew Hobert, Global Director – Business Development, Mining, will also attend the event. They will be available to provide technical insight into CavTube applications and the integration of advanced flotation technologies into existing beneficiation circuits.

The work addresses a growing challenge for the industry. Phosphate and potash producers are under increasing pressure to raise fertiliser output while reducing environmental impact. Conventional flotation circuits often struggle to recover ultrafine particles, resulting in lost value, increased tailings volumes and higher water consumption.

The Eriez CavTube column flotation system is designed to overcome these challenges by combining high-shear cavitation tube technology with column flotation. This integrated approach improves bubble-particle collision kinetics, helping increase the recovery and separation of fine and ultrafine mineral fractions that are often lost in conventional circuits. The system builds on Eriez’ decades of experience in fine particle recovery and flotation technologies used in mining operations worldwide.

By enabling the beneficiation of phosphate and potash slimes, the CavTube system allows operators to recover valuable material from streams that would otherwise be discarded. This supports improved plant recovery and feed utilisation without the need for significant capital expansion.

Pilot-scale case studies to be presented at the conference demonstrate recovery gains of up to 15%, reduced tailings volumes and improved water recovery. These improvements support better resource efficiency while helping address key industry challenges, including water scarcity, land-use restrictions and long-term tailings management.

“Producers must increase recovery from existing circuits while meeting increasingly stringent environmental constraints,” said Tuchscherer. “CavTube column flotation enables the recovery of ultrafine material typically lost to tailings, delivering measurable gains in both resource efficiency and overall plant performance.”

During the event, Eriez representatives will be available throughout the conference to discuss how CavTube technology can be applied to specific phosphate and potash operations. Attendees can meet the team at Stand 35 to learn more.