Beneficiation

1. The dressing or processing of coal or ores for the purpose of (1) regulating the size of a desired product, (2) removing unwanted constituents, and (3) improving the quality, purity, or assay grade of a desired product.
2. Concentration or other preparation of coal or ores for smelting by drying, flotation, or magnetic separation.
3. Improvement of the grade of coal or ores by milling, flotation, sintering, gravity concentration, or other processes.

Source: Dictionary of Mining, Mineral, and Related Terms