Iron, Gold, Copper, Manganese (and others) Liberation: Increasingly, ore is discovered and mined at less than useable concentrations, and ores must be beneficiated prior to smelting or other use. Chemical and thermal methods currently considered "state of the art" and in widespread use globally are expensive and many cause unwanted environmentally hazardous byproducts with minimal beneficiation. The energy necessary to break the bonds between the ores and the surrounding materials, when delivered through chemical or thermal media, are energy inefficient and often create environmental issues.