Abstract
Abstract
The mining industry requires automated instrumentation to improve process efficiency, reduce costs and to achieve cleaner and greener operation. The Saskatchewan Research Council has developed an automated spectroscopic method which correlates spectra absorbance of filtrates to the titrant volume for process parameter measurement. An automated and online platform is developed based on the automated spectroscopic method. Slurry or process water samples can be automatically withdrawn from a live process and transferred into a mixing chamber where the sample can be conditioned and treated by reagents. After the titrant solution is added to the sample in increments, a series of filtrates can be automatically extracted from the sample mixture and measured by a spectrophotometer. The spectra absorbance of the filtrates can be correlated to determine active clay content in minerals or water hardness in process water.
The platform is designed to measure challenging samples, such as samples with elevated levels of active clays or oily specimens from processes with hot temperature and high pressure. This paper will present field validation results for the active clay analysis on oil sands tailings, along with active clay results from model clay mixtures and samples from potash and kimberlite industries. Preliminary water hardness results for liquid samples taken from oil sands SAGD process will also be presented.