Metso Wins Finnish Pilot Plant Deal

Metso has signed an agreement with the Geological Survey of Finland (GTK) to engineer and deliver process technology for GTK Mintec's new pilot plant in Outokumpu, Finland. The facility will handle both minerals processing and materials for the circular economy, and is expected to expand GTK's research and service capabilities for the mining and minerals sector.

The pilot plant is scheduled to begin operations by the end of 2028 and will feature systems aimed at reducing energy and water consumption. The plant will incorporate equipment such as high pressure grinding rolls, ore sorting devices, primary and fine grinding circuits, as well as coarse and fine flotation technologies.

According to Metso minerals president Piia Karhu, Metso and GTK have collaborated for decades in the research, testing and development of minerals processing solutions. The plant will enable solutions piloting for side-stream processing, dry stacking of tailings, and the use of closed-loop water circuits with advanced treatment and filtration.

The plant will house two process lines with different throughputs, allowing for both large-scale tests and smaller studies. This configuration will enable the testing and optimization of a variety of beneficiation technologies, including those using drill core samples at the early exploration phase of mining projects.

## What it means The deal is significant as it will support the development of more sustainable and efficient minerals processing solutions. The pilot plant will allow for the testing and optimization of new technologies, which can help reduce the environmental impact of mining and minerals processing. The plant's focus on reducing energy and water consumption is also in line with the growing demand for more sustainable practices in the industry.

The order will be recorded in Metso's Minerals segment order intake for the third quarter of 2026 (Q3 2026). While the order value has not been disclosed, the deal is expected to contribute to Metso's growth in the minerals processing sector.

## Why it matters The mining and minerals sector is under increasing pressure to reduce its environmental impact and adopt more sustainable practices. The development of new technologies and solutions that can help reduce energy and water consumption is critical to achieving this goal. The GTK Mintec pilot plant is an important step in this direction, and Metso's involvement in the project highlights the company's commitment to supporting the development of more sustainable minerals processing solutions.