Scientific Quarterly Journal of Geosciences

Scientific Quarterly Journal of Geosciences

A minimum Sample Weight Required for Liberation Analysis of Copper - Bearing Minerals at the Sarcheshmeh Copper Mine

Document Type : Original Research Paper

Authors
Samad Banisi 1
Hamidreza Iranmanesh 2
Mohammadreza Shayestehfar 1
Minoo Behrouz 3
1 Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran
2 Mineral Processing Group, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman , Iran
3 Mineralogy Group, R&D Center of Sarcheshmeh Copper Co., Kerman, Iran
Abstract
Measurement of liberation degree is of prime importance in  determination of grinding and separation circuits performance. Subsampling and particles mounting, which are the main stages in the preparation of polished sections, could affect liberation degrees obtained by the mineral counting method.
At the Sarcheshmeh copper mine, particles mounting is carried out at  high pressure (4000 psi) and  high temperature (300°F). In this paper, the method of percent weight determination of copper - bearing minerals (chalcopyrite, chalcocite and covellite) and the error on liberation degree estimation are discussed. In order to determine the appropriate weight ratio of sample to mounting powder, 10 samples with five different weight ratios were examined. It was found that the weight ratio of 4g sample to 11g mounting powder had the lowest error. For each mineral, the minimum number of particles, which must be examined to reach an acceptable accuracy were determined.
Keywords
Liberation
Particle mounting
Polished sections
Sample weight

Subjects

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Scientific Quarterly Journal of Geosciences
Volume 14, Issue 54
Winter 2005, Vol. 14, No.54
Winter 2005
Pages 28-35