This invention relates to a process for recovering valuable metals from ore with significantly reduced water consumption through the discrete treatment and storage of coarse tailings. Ore is ground to produce a coarse particulate ore. The coarse particulate ore is treated in a coarse flotation stage to produce a low grade concentrate fraction and a coarse tailings fraction. The low grade concentrate fraction is treated to produce fine tailings and a saleable concentrate. The coarse tailings are treated separately from the fine tailings and water is recovered from the coarse tailings by hydraulically stacking; filtering or screening, whereafter the coarse tailings are dry stacked, without being recombined with the fine tailings.
