Opportunities for plant-site 3D coarse particle characterization with automated high-speed X-ray tomography

Minerals & Metallurgical Processing , 2016, Vol. 33, No. 2, pp. 53-57

Miller, J.D.; Lin, C.L.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.19150/mmp.6621

ABSTRACT:

The use of 3D X-ray tomography analysis for plant-site characterization of coarse particles at a sampling rate of about 3 kg/min for particles ranging in size from 150 mm to 1 mm at a voxel resolution of about 150 µm is now possible. This is quite a significant advance in X-ray tomography technology and promises to be useful for plant-site coarse particle characterization—size, shape, composition, density, texture, grain exposure and mineral liberation—with a response time of minutes after receiving the sample. This paper discusses applications in the mineral industries, including the coal industry, aggregates industry, metal mining and the processing of industrial minerals.