{"id":12715,"date":"2026-06-12T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-12T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/northamericanmining.com\/?p=12715"},"modified":"2026-06-01T19:22:28","modified_gmt":"2026-06-01T19:22:28","slug":"can-vertical-roller-mills-find-a-home-in-north-american-mineral-processing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/northamericanmining.com\/index.php\/2026\/06\/12\/can-vertical-roller-mills-find-a-home-in-north-american-mineral-processing\/","title":{"rendered":"Can vertical roller mills find a home in North American mineral processing?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Metso and Loesche believe so, having recently partnered to launch the Metso Loesche VRM across a variety of mineral processing applications. North American Mining spoke with Tim Robinson and Christoph Hoetzel of Metso about the collaboration, the technology, and what comes next.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"The
VRM grinding process.
<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Grinding accounts for a large share of energy consumption at most mineral processing operations \u2013 and, in many cases, it is also where water demand is highest and circuit complexity greatest. The combination has made comminution optimization a persistent industry preoccupation. Enter the Metso Loesche VRM. \u201cVertical roller mills fundamentally change how grinding and classification are combined, opening a different performance perspective compared to traditional concepts,\u201d said Christoph Hoetzel, senior vice president for Grinding at Metso.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The partnership between Metso and the German-based VRM specialist Loesche combines what Hoetzel described as complementary strengths. Loesche brings more than a century of VRM design and operational experience, with a reference base of over 2,400 installations running at large industrial scale worldwide. Metso contributes depth to mineral processing: ore characterization, flowsheet development, and the engineering and service infrastructure required by mining projects. \u201cTogether, we close the gap between industrial VRM technology and the practical requirements of mining applications,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The timing of the partnership is also deliberate. Rising energy costs, water constraints, emissions targets, and tighter permitting are now directly influencing project design decisions. \u201cWith many projects \u2013 particularly in North America \u2013 at early planning or rebuild stages, this is exactly the right moment to bring VRMs into the mainstream flowsheet conversation,\u201d added Tim Robinson, Metso vice president of Mineral Sales in North and Central Americas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the same time, VRM technology has matured, with advances in wear protection, control, and operational stability enabling reliable performance in harder ores and higher throughputs, Robinson continued. \u201cBy aligning on joint R&D, testing, and go-to-market execution, we can offer a VRM solution that is optimized for mining from the outset, reducing technical and commercial risk for owners and EPCs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Loesche\u2019s
Loesche\u2019s reference base of more than 2,400 VRM installations worldwide provides the operational foundation \u2028for the Metso Loesche VRM.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

WHERE THE TECHNOLOGY FITS<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to Hoetzel, VRMs are \u201cparticularly well suited to hard-rock ores that require a fine and well-controlled product size distribution for downstream beneficiation,\u201d with high reduction ratios of 3000:1 possible in a single stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The technology combines grinding and classification into a single unit, reducing circuit complexity, plant footprint, and auxiliary equipment requirements: factors that can materially affect both capital cost and permitting timelines when they are considered early rather than retrofitted later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Robinson, these factors suggest two distinct entry points for VRMs in mineral processing. The first is greenfield projects and circuit redesigns, where sustainability and energy constraints are becoming decisive influences on project economics and permitting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The second application is brownfield debottlenecking. In existing SAG-based circuits, VRMs can be deployed as pebble grinding solutions, taking material that would otherwise recirculate, increasing throughput without major plant expansion, and grinding pebbles to flotation-relevant fineness for direct downstream processing. It is a \u201cpractical entry route for operations looking to improve performance within an existing footprint,\u201d Robinson said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DON\u2019T VRMS HAVE A WEAR PROBLEM?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Industry familiarity with VRMs in cement has shaped \u2013 and, Hoetzel suggested, distorted \u2013 expectations about their suitability for harder feed. \u201cVRMs are commonly used in cement due to the need for dry processing,\u201d he said. \u201cBut our test work database on hard ores suggests that the optimized wear part configuration of the Metso Loesche VRM can outperform many conventional comminution mechanisms.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wear protection concepts have been specifically reviewed, tested, and, where necessary, further developed for hard-rock conditions as part of the Metso-Loesche collaboration, covering wear part design, material selection, and operating strategies. Hoetzel cited availability levels above 90% from operational data, \u201ccomparable to, and in some cases higher than, conventional grinding technologies,\u201d with Metso\u2019s global service network positioned to provide parts and technical support wherever a mill is operating.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Test
Test work on hard ores is central to validating wear-part configurations and process parameters before full-scale deployment.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

CONSERVATISM? WHAT CONSERVATISM?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As Loesche\u2019s long history implies, VRMs are hardly a new technology. Yet, using VRMs at the scale and hardness typical of North American mining projects remains a relatively unfamiliar proposition. Is there not a risk that, amid the mining industry\u2019s famed conservatism, the technology will always remain a niche proposition for specific applications?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robinson preferred to reframe the question. \u201cOne thing we asked ourselves is whether it is truly conservatism, or whether it is more related to the business case,\u201d he said. \u201cMining projects must consider risks and mitigations when technologies are selected. The challenge has always been finding a solution that meets both the technical and commercial requirements.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hoetzel drew a parallel to HPGRs, a technology that spent years on the margins before achieving selective acceptance \u2013 but that still attracts scrutiny over total installed cost.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"The
The Metso Loesche VRM.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

In contrast, VRMs address the friction points of traditional circuits in ways that more complicated HPGR solutions do not, offering energy efficiency, a compact footprint, a simplified circuit, and a competitive total cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cVRM technology is rapidly becoming a superior option in the early stages of flowsheet selection over an HPGR dry finish grinding circuit with air classification,\u201d he concluded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

COMING SOON TO A MINE NEAR YOU<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Early market response has been encouraging, according to Robinson, who mentioned positive reactions from both mining operations and engineering firms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interest has been particularly notable in \u2028copper, gold roasting, nickel, and rare-earth concentrator applications, driven primarily\u2028by energy and water savings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are already discussing applications with many of our larger customers,\u201d he said, \u201cwhile many of the more progressive engineering firms are actively seeking reference data and test work results.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Metso\u2019s own flotation and separation specialists have also become advocates for the technology, recognizing that VRM product characteristics can improve downstream recovery. \u201cThat has all our teams very excited for the future,\u201d Robinson concluded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

About the Metso-Loesche partnership
<\/strong>Announced in May 2026, the Metso-Loesche partnership combines Metso\u2019s expertise in sustainable, end-to-end minerals processing and extensive service capabilities with Loesche\u2019s vertical roller mill technology to deliver VRM dry grinding for a wide range of mineral processing applications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Metso Loesche VRM is part of the Metso Plus offering \u2013 a portfolio of more than 100 products and services designed to help customers reduce CO2 emissions, improve process efficiency, and achieve broader sustainability targets. According to the company, Metso Plus products are developed to deliver meaningful reductions in both direct emissions and those associated with manufacturing and operations, ensuring they can make a measurable difference to customers\u2019 climate and environmental goals. With 80% of Metso\u2019s R&D spend targeted at Metso Plus development by 2030, the portfolio is set to expand to cover every part of the minerals processing value chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Metso Loesche VRM dry-grinding technology can replace HPGRs, horizontal mills in primary and secondary applications, and tertiary stirred mill applications, which simplifying the process and reducing energy consumption and operating costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Downstream processes benefit from improved mineral liberation and a steeper particle-size distribution. Advanced flowsheets incorporating coarse particle flotation, magnetic separation, or other coarse beneficiation technologies can also be facilitated, further reducing \u2013 or even eliminating \u2013 water consumption where fully dry processes are feasible.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Metso and Loesche believe so, having recently partnered to launch the Metso Loesche VRM across a variety of mineral processing applications. North American Mining spoke with Tim Robinson and Christoph Hoetzel of Metso about the collaboration, the technology, and what comes next. Grinding accounts for a large share of energy consumption at most mineral processing operations \u2013 and, in many…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":12717,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_themeisle_gutenberg_block_has_review":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"According to Hoetzel, VRMs are \u201cparticularly well suited to hard-rock ores that require a fine and well-controlled product size distribution for downstream beneficiation,\u201d with high reduction ratios of 3000:1 possible in a single stage.","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"coauthors":[1644],"class_list":["post-12715","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-features"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/northamericanmining.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Metso_Loesche_VRM_header_image_option_2.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/northamericanmining.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12715","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/northamericanmining.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/northamericanmining.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/northamericanmining.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/northamericanmining.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12715"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/northamericanmining.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12715\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12720,"href":"https:\/\/northamericanmining.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12715\/revisions\/12720"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/northamericanmining.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12717"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/northamericanmining.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12715"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/northamericanmining.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12715"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/northamericanmining.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12715"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/northamericanmining.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=12715"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}