Characterization of Sensor Based Ore Sorting

Danoczi, Jane

Abstract

Sorting technologies, provide solutions to a number of current mining problems including, upgrading low grade ore, reduced energy costs and to lower environmental impacts. The primary objective of all sorting technologies is to provide a mechanism for subdividing run of mine products into target-rich and target-poor populations. The reduction in gangue and waste rock from the downstream mining processes further improves the economic viability of an ore body. The upgraded ore is significantly less voluminous and more homogeneous than typical run of mine products resulting in more efficient comminution - the largest energy consumer in the mining process, accounting for approximately 60% of typical mine energy consumption and about 4% of global electrical energy use. Reducing the amount of comminuted rock has a significantly positive impact on mine economics and environmental impacts. The ecological costs of mining are reduced by improved efficiency in mineral processing via reducing chemical and water usage, and tailings dam requirements. There is a wide range of sorting technologies available to bring the benefits of sorting to the diversity of ore bodies. All sorting technologies are related to the physical and chemical characteristics of the rocks expressed in the mineralogy, mineral associations, target mineral dispersion, size distributions and homogeneity factor. Hence, it is essential to understand the mineralization in order to identify the most suitable sorting method. Quantitative evaluation of mineralogy by scanning electron microscopy (QEMSCAN®) is a tool that provides mineralization data that shortlists possible sorting technologies and suitable parameters. Identified sorting technologies are tested on ore in a laboratory to identify critical criteria such as lighting, ejection timing, dust tolerance, bandwidth gating, peak detector or intensity measurements. In addition, upstream sorting, when combined with QEMSCAN®-based ore characterization, can offer further opportunities to remove rocks with deleterious minerals thereby ensuring that elements associated with environmental toxicity and acid-generating minerals remain locked in the host rock. This presentation discusses the mineralogical characterization tests and their application to ore sorting.

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Characterization of Sensor Based Ore Sorting

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Abstract