Equipment wear and corrosion have significant adverse impact on the operating cost and efficiency of mineral processing plants. In this study, advanced surface enhancement technologies were investigated to improve the wear resistance of metal surface of mineral processing equipment. Enhanced metal surfaces were achieved through surface conversion, enrichment, and coating by use of advanced high-density-infrared (HDI) technology. Attempts were made to determine the effects of process parameters on surface properties and corresponding optimum conditions. The microstructure of the enhanced metal surfaces was characterized by SEM, EDS, and microindentation. Laboratory dry sliding wear testing was carried out to investigate the wear performance and the viable coating candidate was determined. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.