A Comparison Of Liberation Determinations By Particle Area Percentage And Exposed Particle Perimeter Percentage In A Flotation Concentrator
Author(s)
R. Lastra*
Affiliation(s)
Natural Resources Canada, Mining and Mineral Sciences Laboratories,555 Booth St., Ottawa, ON, K1A 0G1, Canada..
Natural Resources Canada, Mining and Mineral Sciences Laboratories,555 Booth St., Ottawa, ON, K1A 0G1, Canada..
ABSTRACT
To simplify programming, image analyzers commonly measure either linear intercepts or the areas of particles and grains to determine liberation based on polished section mounts. However, the concentration of minerals by flotation is based on reagents that interact with the exposed surfaces of the minerals. Thus, it is often perceived that image analyzers should measure the perimeter of the mineral of interest in the ore particles. A comparative liberation study of thirteen samples collected from a flotation plant processing a complex base metal sulfide ore showed that the liberation of the ore minerals determined by area measurements is very similar to the liberation determined by the exposed perimeters. The liberation determined by exposed perimeters is more appropriate only for those cases where the mineral texture is so complex that it is retained in the small particles generated in conventional grinding operations.
To simplify programming, image analyzers commonly measure either linear intercepts or the areas of particles and grains to determine liberation based on polished section mounts. However, the concentration of minerals by flotation is based on reagents that interact with the exposed surfaces of the minerals. Thus, it is often perceived that image analyzers should measure the perimeter of the mineral of interest in the ore particles. A comparative liberation study of thirteen samples collected from a flotation plant processing a complex base metal sulfide ore showed that the liberation of the ore minerals determined by area measurements is very similar to the liberation determined by the exposed perimeters. The liberation determined by exposed perimeters is more appropriate only for those cases where the mineral texture is so complex that it is retained in the small particles generated in conventional grinding operations.
Cite this paper
R. Lastra, "A Comparison Of Liberation Determinations By Particle Area Percentage And Exposed Particle Perimeter Percentage In A Flotation Concentrator," Journal of Minerals and Materials Characterization and Engineering, Vol. 1 No. 1, 2002, pp. 31-37. doi: 10.4236/jmmce.2002.11003.
R. Lastra, "A Comparison Of Liberation Determinations By Particle Area Percentage And Exposed Particle Perimeter Percentage In A Flotation Concentrator," Journal of Minerals and Materials Characterization and Engineering, Vol. 1 No. 1, 2002, pp. 31-37. doi: 10.4236/jmmce.2002.11003.
References
[1] Delesse A. (1848): Procédé mecanique pour determiner la composition des roches. Annales des Mines 13, 4th series. pp. 379-388. [2] Jones M.P. (1983): The characterization of ores and mineral products by automatic image analysis of mineralogical features. In Proceedings Internat. Congress Applied Mineralogy (ICAM) 1981 (J.P.R. de Villiers & P.A. Cawthorn, eds.). Geol. Soc. South Africa Special Publication 7, pp. 475-478. [3] Jones M.P. (1985): Recent developments in rapid collection of quantitative mineralogical data. In Process Mineralogy V (W.C. Park, D.M. Hausen & D.R/ Hagni, eds.). AIME/TMS, New York, pp. 141-155. [4] Jones M.P. & Horton R. (1978): Recent developments in the stereological assessment of composite (middling) particles by linear measurements. In Proceedings 11th Commonwealth Mining and Metallurgical Congress, Hong Kong (M.J. Jones, ed.). London I.M.M, 1978, pp. 113-122. [5] King R.P. & Schneider C.L. (1998): Stereological correction of linear grade distributions for mineral liberation. Powder Technology 98, pp. 21-37. [6] Lastra R., Petruk W. & Wilson J. (1998): Image analysis techniques and applications to mineral processing. In Short Course on Modern Approaches to Ore and Environmental Mineralogy (J.L. Jambor, ed.). Mineral. Assoc. Can. Short Course Vol. 27, pp. 327-366. [7] Leigh G.M., Lyman G.J. & Gottlieb P. (1996): Stereological estimates of liberation from mineral section measurements: a rederivation of Barbery’s formulae with extension. Powder Technology 87, pp. 141-152. [8] Petruk W. (1988): Capabilities of the microprobe Kontron image analysis system: application to mineral beneficiation. Scanning Microscopy 2, pp. 1247-1256. [9] Rosiwal A. (1898): über Geometrische Gesteinsanalysen. Ein einfacher Weg zür ziffermassigen Feststellung des Quantitatsverhaltnisses der Mineral-Bestandteile gemengter Gesteine; Verh, Kaiserlich-Koeniglichen Geologischen Reichsanstaet, Vienna, 5/6, pp. 143-175.(Translatted by H.G. Ranson; On geometric rock analysis. A simple method for the numerical determination of the quantitative ratios of the mineral fractions of mixed rocks: Royal Aircraft Establ., Farnborough, U.K., Lib. Trans. #871, 1960)
[1] Delesse A. (1848): Procédé mecanique pour determiner la composition des roches. Annales des Mines 13, 4th series. pp. 379-388. [2] Jones M.P. (1983): The characterization of ores and mineral products by automatic image analysis of mineralogical features. In Proceedings Internat. Congress Applied Mineralogy (ICAM) 1981 (J.P.R. de Villiers & P.A. Cawthorn, eds.). Geol. Soc. South Africa Special Publication 7, pp. 475-478. [3] Jones M.P. (1985): Recent developments in rapid collection of quantitative mineralogical data. In Process Mineralogy V (W.C. Park, D.M. Hausen & D.R/ Hagni, eds.). AIME/TMS, New York, pp. 141-155. [4] Jones M.P. & Horton R. (1978): Recent developments in the stereological assessment of composite (middling) particles by linear measurements. In Proceedings 11th Commonwealth Mining and Metallurgical Congress, Hong Kong (M.J. Jones, ed.). London I.M.M, 1978, pp. 113-122. [5] King R.P. & Schneider C.L. (1998): Stereological correction of linear grade distributions for mineral liberation. Powder Technology 98, pp. 21-37. [6] Lastra R., Petruk W. & Wilson J. (1998): Image analysis techniques and applications to mineral processing. In Short Course on Modern Approaches to Ore and Environmental Mineralogy (J.L. Jambor, ed.). Mineral. Assoc. Can. Short Course Vol. 27, pp. 327-366. [7] Leigh G.M., Lyman G.J. & Gottlieb P. (1996): Stereological estimates of liberation from mineral section measurements: a rederivation of Barbery’s formulae with extension. Powder Technology 87, pp. 141-152. [8] Petruk W. (1988): Capabilities of the microprobe Kontron image analysis system: application to mineral beneficiation. Scanning Microscopy 2, pp. 1247-1256. [9] Rosiwal A. (1898): über Geometrische Gesteinsanalysen. Ein einfacher Weg zür ziffermassigen Feststellung des Quantitatsverhaltnisses der Mineral-Bestandteile gemengter Gesteine; Verh, Kaiserlich-Koeniglichen Geologischen Reichsanstaet, Vienna, 5/6, pp. 143-175.(Translatted by H.G. Ranson; On geometric rock analysis. A simple method for the numerical determination of the quantitative ratios of the mineral fractions of mixed rocks: Royal Aircraft Establ., Farnborough, U.K., Lib. Trans. #871, 1960)