Abstract: Kimberlite beneficiation is constrained by high circulating loads, inefficient liberation, and substantial fine waste generation. This study evaluates the effectiveness of microwave pre-treatment in improving comminution and dense media separation performance by subjecting coarse (16-31.5 mm) and overall (6.7-31.5 mm) feed classes to controlled microwave irradiation using an industrial 2.45 GHz, 15 kW system. Treated samples were subsequently crushed in a single-roll crusher and processed through a laboratory dense media separation workflow to quantify changes in product size distribution, concentrate recovery, circulating load, and waste generation. Microwave pre-treatment produced consistent improvements in downstream performance. At low energy inputs, concentrate mass fraction increased by up to 75% for the coarse feed and 68% for the overall feed, indicating enhanced liberation of dense mineral phases. Circulating load decreased by 6–10%, reducing the volume of material requiring reprocessing and lowering the potential for diamond damage during repeated crushing. Waste (<1 mm) and fine waste (<0.3 mm) generation declined by 5-10%, demonstrating that microwave exposure can suppress excessive fines production and support more sustainable tailings management. Overall, the results show that controlled microwave pre-treatment can enhance mineral liberation, improve separation outcomes, and reduce waste generation, representing a promising pathway for increasing the efficiency and sustainability of kimberlite beneficiation.