An aqueous slurry that is useful upon being spray dried for the formation of a powder of hard material. The aqueous slurry includes starting powder components of the hard material. The slurry further includes an oxidation inhibitor, a surfactant in an amount between about 0.05 weight percent and about 0.30 weight percent of the weight of the starting powder components of the hard material, a binder, a defoamer and water in an between about 15 weight percent and about 30 weight percent of the weight of the weight of the starting powder components of the hard material. The aqueous slurry has a percent solids value that is between about 70 percent and about 85 percent.

One embodiment of a media handling system (5) is disclosed for mixing and or entraining grinding media (15) with a liquid media (10) for supply to a selected destination (D). In one form, the system (5) comprises a first media transfer module (30) configured operable for providing a flow of liquid media (10) having a respective flow condition to a first inlet (11) by way of which liquid media is receivable by the system (5). The system (5) comprises a second media transfer module (25) arranged in fluid communication with and downstream of both of the first inlet (11) and a second inlet (16) by way of which grinding media (15) is receivable by the system (5). The second media transfer module (25) is configured operable for supplying to the selected destination (D) a mixed flow of liquid and grinding media having a respective flow condition. In operation, one or both of the first (30) and second media transfer modules (25) are configured operable relative to the other for modifying one or both of the respective flow conditions so as to be operable or cooperable for facilitating a drawing or urging of a flow of the grinding media (15) into the system (5) via the second inlet (16) for controllably modifying a concentration of grinding media in the mixed flow of liquid and grinding media so as to converge toward and or substantially maintain a target concentration of grinding media (15) determined to be suitable for enabling supply of the mixed flow to the selected destination (D) by the second media transfer module (25).

One embodiment of a media handling system (5) is disclosed for mixing and or entraining grinding media (15) with a liquid media (10) for supply to a selected destination (D). In one form, the system (5) comprises a first media transfer module (30) configured operable for providing a flow of liquid media (10) having a respective flow condition to a first inlet (11) by way of which liquid media is receivable by the system (5). The system (5) comprises a second media transfer module (25) arranged in fluid communication with and downstream of both of the first inlet (11) and a second inlet (16) by way of which grinding media (15) is receivable by the system (5). The second media transfer module (25) is configured operable for supplying to the selected destination (D) a mixed flow of liquid and grinding media having a respective flow condition. In operation, one or both of the first (30) and second media transfer modules (25) are configured operable relative to the other for modifying one or both of the respective flow conditions so as to be operable or cooperable for facilitating a drawing or urging of a flow of the grinding media (15) into the system (5) via the second inlet (16) for controllably modifying a concentration of grinding media in the mixed flow of liquid and grinding media so as to converge toward and or substantially maintain a target concentration of grinding media (15) determined to be suitable for enabling supply of the mixed flow to the selected destination (D) by the second media transfer module (25).