Author 1:

Name & Surname: Nesterov G. S.
Company: Uralmekhanobr JSC (Ekaterinburg, Russia)
Work Position: Consultant
Scientific Degree: Candidate of Engineering Sciences
Contacts: e-mail: gsnesterov@yandex.ru

Author 2:

Name & Surname: Gazaleeva G. S.
Company: Uralmekhanobr JSC (Ekaterinburg, Russia)
Work Position: Deputy Director for Science
Scientific Degree: Doctor of Engineering Sciences
Contacts: e-mail: gazaleeva@umbr.ru

Author 3:

Name & Surname: Nesterov A. G.
Company: Ural Federal University named after the first President of Russia B. N. Eltsin (Ekaterinburg, Russia)
Work Position: Head of a Chair
Scientific Degree: Doctor of Historical Sciences
Contacts: e-mail: agn1154@yandex.ru

The article highlights development of the technology and practice of mineral beneficiation in USSR in 1930-2000. The role of the Uralmekhanobr Institute is illustrated in scientific papers dealing with modernization of processes and technologies of mineral dressing and with higher quality of obtained products; the main fields of activities of the Institute in this area are analyzed. The main attention of the Institute in the 1930s was devoted to the development of mineral processing equipment and technology for nonferrous metal ores, which was conditioned by vital importance of the given trend under conditions of accelerated modernization. During World War II the Institute was the first to develop methods for integrated use of cobalt-bearing raw materials, tungsten and molybdenum ores, tantalumniobic, copper, manganese and chrome raw materials, and nonmetallic minerals. In 1942 processing of niobiumbearing pyrochloric concentrates was started at the Klyutchevsky plant of ferroalloys together with the production of ferro-niobium which had never been produced in USSR up to then. In the postwar years along with the requirement to process nonferrous metal ores and nonmetallic mineral resources, the demand for ferrous metal ore dressing became acute. The Uralmekhanobr Institute was the first to practise research methods in industrial tests and in economic justification of technological test results. In the 1950-60s the Institute created and implemented dressing technologies for different iron ores, based on which such enterprises as Sokolovsko-Sorbaisky and Kachkanarsky Mining-and-Processing Integrated Works were built. Fundamental studies carried out by Uralmekhanobr’s scientists enabled for the first time ever in the world practice to develop an efficient processing technology for ferrous metal ores with poor iron content (16 %). This technology initiated construction of the unique Kachkanarsky MPIW. A significant number of scientific and engineering developments of the Institute were priority-oriented and fulfilled for the first time and for different branch enterprises. Dozens of such developments are protected by copyright certificates and patents for invention. Currently the Institute is an independent subdivision of the Ural Mining and Metallurgical Company and fulfills a range of works in such areas as mining, dressing, metallurgy, chemistry, standardization, engineering services, mine waste utilization technologies, etc.

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