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Geological complexity of the Dundee Precious Metals (DPM) Chelopech mine, Bulgaria has motivated the proposal and development of a geometallurgical characterization of the new block 103, scheduled to start production in the second half of 2017. This project aimed to achieve such characterization by performing metallurgical test on samples selected from the block, such as lab scale batch sulphide flotation with copper and pyrite cleaning stages, drop weight and batch grinding tests. Optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction and ZEISS Mineralogic Mining Automated Mineralogy were used to identify mineralogical features in the samples tested. A geometallurgical methodology using a principal component analysis and linear modelling was followed. Sulphosalts recovery, Axb index and operating work index were correlated with mineral characteristics. As a result it was possible to identify that enargite, tennantite and chalcopyrite contents and grain sizes controlled copper recovery in the flotation circuit; gold recovery in the copper cleaning stage was influenced by sulphosalts – pyrite association. Pyrite, chalcopyrite and sulphosalts content controlled the recovery of pyrite in the pyrite cleaning stage. Gangue minerals such as quartz, kaolinite, alunite and enargite/tennantite controlled impact breakage and operating work index; however, it is believed that texture played an important role in rock comminution testing. A proposed sub-division of the block 103 in two geometallurgical domains, East and West, was performed following a previous delimitation by the geological team of DPM Chelopech. Further sub-domaining should be performed using extra sampling and tests.

Geometallurgical modelling --- Chelopech mine --- Sulphide Flotation --- Impact breakage --- Work Index --- Automated Mineralogy --- X-Ray Diffraction --- Principal Component Analysis --- Ingénierie, informatique & technologie > Géologie, ingénierie du pétrole & des mines

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During the last decade, software developments in Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) provoked a notable increase of applications to the study of solid matter. The mineral liberation analysis (MLA) of processed metal ores was an important drive for innovations that led to QEMSCAN, MLA and other software platforms. These combine the assessment of the backscattered electron (BSE) image to the directed steering of the electron beam for energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) to automated mineralogy. However, despite a wide distribution of SEM instruments in material research and industry, the potential of SEM automated mineralogy is still under-utilised. The characterisation of primary ores, and the optimisation of comminution, flotation, mineral concentration and metallurgical processes in the mining industry by generating quantified data, is still the major application field of SEM automated mineralogy. However, there is interesting potential beyond these classical fields of geometallurgy and metal ore fingerprinting. Slags, pottery and artefacts can be studied in an archeological context for the recognition of provenance and trade pathways; soil, and solid particles of all kinds, are objects in forensic science. SEM automated mineralogy allows new insight in the fields of process chemistry and recycling technology.

Research & information: general --- Zr-REE-Nb deposits --- alkaline rocks --- automated mineralogy --- Khalzan Buregtei --- automated scanning electron microscopy --- QEMSCAN® --- trace minerals --- gold --- REE minerals --- REE carbonatite ore --- comminution --- multi-stage flotation --- EDX spectra --- MLA --- mineral processing --- iron ore --- Kiruna --- Raman spectroscopy --- magnetite --- hematite --- scanning electron microscopy (SEM) --- automated quantitative analysis (AQM) --- spectrum quantification --- signal deconvolution --- fault gouge --- 200-nm resolution --- grain size distribution --- Ikkattup nunaa --- mineral maps --- submicrometer --- automated quantitative mineralogy (AQM) --- scanning electron microscopy --- ZEISS Mineralogic --- Fiskenæsset complex --- Feret angle --- element concentration map --- visualization --- mineral association --- bulk composition --- grain size --- waste of electrical and electronic equipment --- X-ray computed tomography --- mineral liberation analysis --- indicator minerals --- heavy mineral concentrates --- till sampling --- VMS --- Izok Lake --- sewage sludge ashes (SSA) --- phosphate --- recycling --- recovery --- SEM-automated mineralogy --- mineral liberation analysis (MLA) --- scanning electron microscope --- raw materials --- resource technology --- granular material --- petrology --- n/a

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• Reference Manager
• EndNote
• RefWorks (Direct export to RefWorks)

During the last decade, software developments in Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) provoked a notable increase of applications to the study of solid matter. The mineral liberation analysis (MLA) of processed metal ores was an important drive for innovations that led to QEMSCAN, MLA and other software platforms. These combine the assessment of the backscattered electron (BSE) image to the directed steering of the electron beam for energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) to automated mineralogy. However, despite a wide distribution of SEM instruments in material research and industry, the potential of SEM automated mineralogy is still under-utilised. The characterisation of primary ores, and the optimisation of comminution, flotation, mineral concentration and metallurgical processes in the mining industry by generating quantified data, is still the major application field of SEM automated mineralogy. However, there is interesting potential beyond these classical fields of geometallurgy and metal ore fingerprinting. Slags, pottery and artefacts can be studied in an archeological context for the recognition of provenance and trade pathways; soil, and solid particles of all kinds, are objects in forensic science. SEM automated mineralogy allows new insight in the fields of process chemistry and recycling technology.

Research & information: general --- Zr-REE-Nb deposits --- alkaline rocks --- automated mineralogy --- Khalzan Buregtei --- automated scanning electron microscopy --- QEMSCAN® --- trace minerals --- gold --- REE minerals --- REE carbonatite ore --- comminution --- multi-stage flotation --- EDX spectra --- MLA --- mineral processing --- iron ore --- Kiruna --- Raman spectroscopy --- magnetite --- hematite --- scanning electron microscopy (SEM) --- automated quantitative analysis (AQM) --- spectrum quantification --- signal deconvolution --- fault gouge --- 200-nm resolution --- grain size distribution --- Ikkattup nunaa --- mineral maps --- submicrometer --- automated quantitative mineralogy (AQM) --- scanning electron microscopy --- ZEISS Mineralogic --- Fiskenæsset complex --- Feret angle --- element concentration map --- visualization --- mineral association --- bulk composition --- grain size --- waste of electrical and electronic equipment --- X-ray computed tomography --- mineral liberation analysis --- indicator minerals --- heavy mineral concentrates --- till sampling --- VMS --- Izok Lake --- sewage sludge ashes (SSA) --- phosphate --- recycling --- recovery --- SEM-automated mineralogy --- mineral liberation analysis (MLA) --- scanning electron microscope --- raw materials --- resource technology --- granular material --- petrology