Current status and development trends of automation in mineral processing laboratories

As the “quality eyes” of mining production, the mineral processing laboratory’s accuracy and timeliness of analysis results directly impact the optimization of beneficiation processes, resource recovery rates, and economic benefits. Traditional laboratory workflows rely on manual operations, which suffer from inefficiency, significant errors, and high safety risks. This paper systematically explores the current state, development trends, key advantages, and challenges of automation in mineral processing laboratories. It demonstrates the significant value of automation technology in improving laboratory efficiency, ensuring data accuracy, reducing personnel risks, and enabling data-driven decision-making, providing a reference for mining enterprises to advance intelligent laboratory upgrades.