Eriez Vice President of Global Technology Michal J. Mankosa, Ph.D. is the recipient of the 2021 Robert H. Richards Award for contributions in furthering mineral beneficiation.

The recognition is presented by the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration (SME) and funded by the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical and Petroleum Engineers. According to SME, the award honours an individual’s achievement, which unmistakably furthers the art of mineral beneficiation in any of its branches.

The Robert H. Richards Award is typically presented in person at the SME Annual Conference.  However, due to COVID-19, the 2021 SME Annual Conference was held virtually 1-5 March and Mankosa was recognized at that time. SME Executive Director David L. Kanagay said the following citation has been prepared in Mankosa’s honour: “For outstanding contributions to applied research, engineering development, and commercial deployment of advanced separation systems for the mineral processing industries.”

Mankosa, an Eriez employee for close to 25 years, has distinguished himself as a leader and trailblazer in the field of mineral beneficiation throughout his career. Many of his groundbreaking research projects have led to innovative developments that have helped to advance the minerals processing industry. His most recent work is focused on improving the efficiency of mineral recovery systems while simultaneously providing substantial reductions in energy and water consumption.