Mineralogical mass balancing by dissolution methodology (original) (raw)

The Disruptive Role of Process Mineralogy in Geology and Mineral Processing Industry Grammatikopoulos T* and Downing S

Crimson Publishers LLC, 2020

Most ore deposits are complex and display a high degree of variability, arising from their inherent geological and mineralogical characteristics, which impact their beneficiation. Process mineralogy has been disruptive in the last two decades for geological exploration and for the mineral processing industry. Minerals are multicomponent elemental systems. Therefore, it is crucial and fundamental to understand the distribution of both minerals and metals they carry. Process mineralogy provides critical quantitative data i.e., mineral mass, liberation, and association of the minerals. Data can be used to determine variability of the ore, help to design, and develop the flowsheet to avoid extensive and time-consuming bench testing, and act as diagnostic to the beneficiation process. Automated mineralogy is commonly coupled with other advanced mineralogical techniques and can be implemented on projects throughout the mining chain, from initial stages of exploration to production. In this paper, we discuss concepts and examples of automated mineralogy applied to exploration and feasibility level.

Mineral Preparation in Geological Research

Springer Proceedings in Earth and Environmental Sciences, 2019

Paper deals with discussion of minerals’ preparation requiring high purity monoproducts, this has special importance for minerals –geochronometers. Widely used methods including gravitation, magnetic separation, floatation provide fractions with 90% of targeted mineral. Further monominerality increase requires special separation methods; one of them – “Strat” is perspective. It is based on separation in organic liquids under gradual density change. Combination of bromoform with d – 2.89 g/sm3 and dimethyle formamide with d – 0.8 g/sm3 is used; density gradations till 0.001 g/sm3 are possible therefore isomorphic inclusions could be separated. Another direction is presented by trybotreatments under higher energies in planetary mills with a centrifugal factor to 40–50 g. Exotic surface substances presented mainly by kaolinite, muscovite, calcite, gothite are removed as trybotreatment result. Special planetary mills - classifiers are used for processing of big samples. This method toge...

Geometallurgy and automated mineralogy - A tool for ore deposit evaluation, prediction of processing problems, and scoping process improvements ahead of and during mining EXPERIMENTAL AND ANALYTICAL METHODS

Geometallurgy, 2018

Increasing competition in the minerais industry and fluctuating coramodity prices require new ways of saving energy, lime, and general operational costs. A good understanding of physical processing or pre-processing streams that can potentially cut these costs requires detailed analyses of chemical and physical behaviours and processing responses during rainera]. processing. It is very useful to perform a detailed mineralogical and micro-textural characterization of materials (ore, tailings, and waste) that addresses, among other parameters, particle and grain sizes, as well as particle densifies. The choice and/or corabination of the 'best' processing approaches is crucial for processing efficiencies, and can be established and verified by using automated mineralogy with the associated software. A sample of low-grade iron ore from El Volcan, Mexico, serves as an example to demonstrate in a step-by-step approach how QEMSCAN® analyses provide processing information. Elements under consideration include iron, phosphorus, and sulphur.