7/23/2019 Applied Mineralogy in the Mining Industry

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CHAPTERl

GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF APPLIED MINERALOGY

1.1. INTRODUCTION

Applied mineralo! in "#e minin ind$%"r! i% "#e appli&a"ion o' mineraloi&al in'orma"ion "o

$nder%"andin and %ol(in pro)lem% en&o$n"ered d$rin e*plora"ion and minin+ and d$rin

pro&e%%in o' ore%+ &on&en"ra"e%+ %mel"er prod$&"% and rela"ed ma"erial%. It in(ol(e%

ara&"eri,in mineral% and ma"erial%+ and in"erpre"in "#e da"a -i"# re%pe&" "o I/ e*plora"ion+

0/ mineral pro&e%%in+ / "ailin% di%po%al and "rea"men"+ 2/ #!drome"all$r!+

.3/p!rome"all$r!+ and 4/ re'inin. Man! "eni5$e% 'or de"erminin mineral ara&"eri%"i&% #a(e

)een de(eloped in "#e la%" "#ree de&ade% a% a re%$l" o' "#e a(aila)ili"! o' ne- e5$ipmen" -#i

in&l$de% %&annin ele&"ron mi&ro%&ope e5$ipped -i"# an ener! di%per%i(e 67ra! anal!%er

SEMIED6/+ en(ironmen"al %&annin ele&"ron mi&ro%&ope .E7SEM/+ mi&ropro)e .MP/+ imae

anal!%er IA/+ pro"on7ind$&ed 67ra! anal!%er .PI6E/+%e&ondar! ion ma%% %pe&"rome"er .SIMS/+

"ime o' 'li#"7%e&ondar! ion ma%% %pe&"rome"er .ToF7SIMS/+ la%er ioni,a"ion ma%% %pe&"rome"er

LIMS/+ "ime o''li#"7Ia%er ioni,a"ion ma%% %pe&"rome"er .ToF7LIMS/+in'ra7red anal!%i% IRA/+

&a"#odl-nine%&en&e and o"#er%. T#e re%$l"% o)"ained )! $%in "#e a)o(e7men"ioned e5$ipmen"

#a(e in&rea%ed o$r 8no-lede o' mineral ara&"eri%"i&% and #a(e pro(ided a )e""er

$nder%"andin o' mineral )e#a(io$r% d$rin pro&e%%in.

Mineral e*plora"ion "eni5$e% in&l$de iden"i'!in mineral% and de"erminin mineraloi&al

ara&"eri%"i&% o' ro&8% and ore depo%i"%. T#e re%$l"% o' mineraloi&al %"$die% rela"ed "o

e*plora"ion are o'"en $%ed "o predi&" I/ lo&a"ion% o' ore depo%i"%+ 0/ "#e po"en"ial 'or

re&o(erin &er"ain mineral%+me"al% or elemen"%+ and / "#e )e#a(io$r o' ore% d$rin mineral

pro&e%%in.

Mineral pro&e%%in opera"ion% are per'ormed "o prod$&e &on&en"ra"e% "#a" #a(e %a"i%'a&"or!

rade% and me"al or mineral re&o(erie%+ and "ailin% "#a" &an )e di%po%ed o' in an

en(ironmen"all! %a'e manner. T#e opera"ion% are enerall! e(al$a"ed )! emi&al a%%a!% o' "#e

prod$&"%+ and )! ma"erial% )alan&in o' "#e a%%a! re%$l"%. T#e e(al$a"ion% made 'rom a%%a!

re%$l"% need "o )e a$men"ed )! mineraloi&al da"a -#en pro&e%%in pro)lem% are d$e "o

mineraloi&al ara&"eri%"i&% o' "#e ore and9or pro&e%% prod$&"%. In %ome in%"an&e% an

e*perien&ed mi&ro%&opi%" &an iden"i'! "#e pro&e%%in pro)lem a" a lan&e+ )$"+ enerall!+

e*"en%i(e mineraloi&al in(e%"ia"ion% need "o )e per'ormed.

Tailin% are %"$died "o de"ermine -#e"#er more mineral% &an )e e&onomi&all! re&o(ered+ and

"o e(al$a"e mineral rea&"i(i"ie% -#i ma! prod$&e and relea%e elemen"% "#a" are dele"erio$% "o

"#e en(ironmen". T#e %"$die% are per'ormed )! iden"i'!in "#e mineral% and de"ermininmineral &ompo%i"ion% and "e*"$re% in 're%# and al"ered "ailin% .

H!drome"all$r! opera"ion% in&l$din &!anida"ion o' old/ in(ol(e leain ma"erial% "o