An Australian engineer has been recognised for his contribution to the mining industry, with an invention that has made millions of dollars around the world.

Professor Kevin Galvin was one of the winners of this year's Clunies Ross science award for his Reflux Classifier, a device which can separate huge amounts of raw ore into valuable commodities.

Digging up the ore is often the easy part, and the task of separating the good stuff from the dross is often left to gravity.

Prof Galvin’s design uses gravity separation too, but he has developed the technology for a new age.

Galvin’s Reflux Classifier (RC2020) can process 100 tonnes of fine solids per hour, producing greater yield and a high grade product from a much smaller system than before.

The Reflux Classifier has been rolled-out to mine sites from Mozambique to the Bowen Basin, and will be re-jigged to work at iron ore mines in Western Australia too.

The Australian Technical Sciences and Engineering awarded Dr Galvin the 2014 Clunies Ross award, saying “his perseverance has seen the RC2020 generate hundreds of millions of dollar in benefits to the Australian economy”.