The process of separating milled ore into two streams; one greatly enriched in the valuable mineral (concentrate) and another of waste material ( tailings). Concentration is a vital economic step in the production process because it reduces the volume of material which must be transported to and processed in a smelter and refinery.

A process of splitting the ground ore in two fractions, one containing the valuable minerals, the other waste.

Separating the waste materials from the minerals.