Dewatering Aids for Mining Market Trends

Growth Drivers

• Water scarcity and recycling regulations: Mining operations utilize significant amounts of water. The International Council on Mining and Metals reports that roughly 71-81% of mine water is used in mineral processing. Concurrently, increasing scarcity of fresh water due to climate change, regulators (e.g., the EPA and Australia's National Water Initiative) are enforcing more stringent water recycling rates. As a result, polymer-based dewatering aids that support solid-liquid separation, reduce the amount of fresh water required, improve process water recovery, and support the lowest environmental impacts while decreasing operating costs and risk associated with fresh water sourcing are being demanded.
• Expansion of copper mining activities: The expansion of copper mining will be a very strong market driver. The International Energy Agency estimates a nearly double demand for copper by the year 2040 under net-zero scenarios. Major projects like Peru's Quellaveco and Chile's Quebrada Blanca Phase 2 have resulted in increased copper concentrate production. Mining copper ore creates significantly large quantities of tailings, which require effective dewatering technologies in order to sustainably manage and profitably dispose of slurry and tailings. This creates demand for polymer-dewatering aids, which can improve filtration rates for tailings, final cake dryness, and overall plant throughput efficiency.
• Growing preference for energy-efficient processes: Mining companies are being asked to decrease energy consumption per ton of ore treated. From its data, SNF Group showed that dewatering aids can reduce filtration cycle times and reduce jammed mechanical dewatering energy consumption by up to 31%. As interest in energy-efficient mineral processing increases, metal producers are marketing what they do to help meet carbon emission targets, mitigate rising power costs, and comply with sustainability frameworks like the ICMM Climate Change Position Statement. The increase in the appropriate use of advanced chemical aids will further enhance the productivity of solid-liquid separation processes.

Production of Copper Ore and Rare-Earth Metal

Dewatering aids are chemical additives used to improve water removal from mineral slurries, optimize tailings management, and enhance filtration efficiency in mining operations. The production of copper ore and rare-earth metals generates large volumes of slurry and fine tailings that require effective dewatering to maintain operational efficiency and reduce environmental impact.

Production of Copper Ore (2021)

Source: WITS

Country-wise Rare-Earth Metal Market Data (2025)

Source: WITS

Challenges

• Limited skilled workforce for chemical application: Effective performance of dewatering aids is dependent on proper dosage and optimized process. There is a skills shortage in the mining sector, the Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration (SME) reported a 43% decrease in qualified mineral processing professionals in North America over the past ten years, and similar figures are evident in Australia and South Africa. This skills gap creates operational inefficiencies and reduces the speed of adopting advanced chemical aids due to a lack of application skills.
• High capital expenditure requirements: The implementation of dewatering aids necessitates a considerable investment in dosing machinery, automation, and the integration of monitoring systems. These substantial expenses are frequently a barrier for small and mid-tier mining companies, particularly in regions such as Latin America and Africa, where operational budgets are constrained. Consequently, numerous miners find it challenging to invest in these technologies, which hinders their adoption and delays market penetration in these regions.