Process mineralogy combines mineralogical techniques with mineral process unit operations to identify minerals, their associations and characteristics in order to...
- establish feasibility concepts at the early stages of geological exploration;
- design processing flowsheets;
- specify raw materials and marketable products;
- troubleshoot plants;
- indicate new uses of minerals.
Process Mineralogy 1 for Metals presents the basic tools of process mineralogy and their application primarily with respect to metals, illustrated by numerous examples. Topics covered include the following.
- Importance of process mineralogy for mining, mineral processing and metallurgy; definition of raw materials; different sources of raw materials; techniques used in process mineralogy; important mineralogical aspects for mineral concentration and leaching.
- Analytical techniques used in process mineralogy to identify and quantify minerals and for chemical analysis; principles of optical microscopy; use of the polarizing microscope to identify minerals; transmitted and reflected light.
- Quantitative mineralogical analysis using optical microscopy; point counting; degree of liberation by the Gaudin method; image analysis.
- Mineralogical analysis by x-ray diffraction; principles of x-ray generation and diffraction; quantitative XRD methods; use of x-ray fluorescence for chemical analysis.
- Electron microscopy; scanned and transmitted beams; interaction of electrons with matter; x-ray maps; identification of minerals.
- Quantitative mineralogical analysis using mineral separation; heavy liquid separation; density gradient; study of mineral liberation using heavy liquids and flotation; study of gold liberation.
- Quantitative mineralogical analysis based on chemical composition of minerals; mass balance techniques.
Application of process mineralogy to coal and industrial minerals is covered in a companion course titled Process Mineralogy 2 for Coal and Industrial Minerals.
Process Mineralogy 1 for Metals comprises 20 viewing sessions at both summary and text level of 30 to 60 minutes duration each, plus multiple-choice reviews, and numerous figures, design tables and references. Course duration is equivalent to approximately 20 hours of viewing content.