As global demand for critical minerals continues to accelerate, mining companies are under increasing pressure to bring online new projects, improve resource efficiency, and reduce operational costs.
According to the International Energy Agency’s World Energy Outlook 2023, the critical minerals market has doubled in size over the past five years and is projected to grow by a further two to four times by 2030. Critical minerals such as lithium, tin, tungsten, rare earth elements, and other strategic metals are essential to the energy transition, electric vehicles, renewable energy infrastructure, and advanced manufacturing.
Left to right: Nigel Grigg – Gekko Systems, Barry Wills – MEi and Ben Wrath – Gekko Systems at the UK Mining Conference, 2026.
This growing demand was a key topic of discussion during the recent UK Mining Conference in Cornwall, held from the 9th to the 11th of June and attended by Gekko Systems’ Nigel Grigg, General Manager – Global Sales, and Ben Wraith, Senior Process Engineer.
Cornwall has become a focal point for the UK’s critical minerals sector, and Gekko is proud to be a partner with the Tungsten West Hemerdon Restart Project, one of the UK’s most significant tungsten developments.
As new critical minerals projects emerge, there is an increasing need for innovative processing technologies that maximise recovery while reducing energy requirements, water use, and operating costs. Gekko’s InLine Pressure Jig (IPJ) addresses these challenges by delivering up to 20% lower power consumption and 10% lower water usage than traditional jigging technologies, helping mining operations improve efficiency and reduce the impact of increasing energy costs.
The IPJ’s core operating features drive consistently higher mineral recoveries by optimising the separation of both coarse and fine particles. While the unit incorporates multiple design advantages, three performance factors stand out:
- Pressurised operation: The sealed, pressurised chamber reduces the loss of hydrophobic particles and limits unnecessary pumping, preserving valuable material within the jigging zone.
- Circular flow design: The expanded tail‑board circumference increases bed volume, slowing feed velocity as material radiates outward from the central distributor. This controlled deceleration allows heavier mineral particles to settle by gravity and report cleanly to the concentrate hatch.
- Compact footprint: Efficiency gains across the circuit translate into a smaller overall footprint, lowering capital requirements, installation complexity, and infrastructure costs per tonne treated.
Click here to download the IPJ brochure which includes:
- Theory of operation
- Background information on the IPJ
- Unique design characteristics
- Features and benefits
The InLine Pressure Jig by Gekko Systems
Known as the ‘new art in gravity separation’, the IPJ rapidly and efficiently pre-concentrates high-value ore particles using a combination of gravity separation, and fluid dynamics. By rejecting low-value material early in the process, the IPJ reduces the volume of material requiring downstream treatment, increasing plant throughput and lowering overall processing costs.
Unlike many conventional gravity technologies, the IPJ can process coarse feed material up to 30 mm, eliminating the need for excessive comminution and the associated energy costs. The result is a higher-grade mineral-rich feed that enhances overall project economics.
For critical minerals projects, where profitability, sustainability, and resource efficiency are increasingly important, pre-concentration technologies such as the IPJ offer a practical pathway to reducing costs while maximising performance outcomes. As the global race for critical minerals continues, innovative solutions like Gekko’s IPJ will play a vital role in unlocking value from both new and existing deposits.
For more information on the Tungsten West Hemerdon Project click here.
