Sorting mined material
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of sorting mined material in the form of ore particles that contain copper-containing minerals and have different grades of copper in the particles for subsequent processing to recover copper from the mined material, comprising:
- (a) breaking particles of mined material and separating the particles into at least a coarse fraction and a fines fraction on the basis of particle size, with the coarse fraction being lower grade material than the fines fraction;
(b) subjecting the coarse fraction of the particles from step (a) to heating and subsequent thermal imaging analysis and identifying particles that contain copper on the basis of thermal imaging analysis, with hotter particles being higher grade material than colder particles; and
(c) separating the coarse fraction into (i) particles that contain copper on the basis of thermal imaging analysis and are higher grade material, and (ii) particles that are relatively barren with respect to copper.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of sorting mined material for subsequent processing to recover valuable material, such as valuable metals, from the mined material is disclosed. The method includes a combination of selective breakage of mined material, for example, by using microwaves and/or high pressure grinding rolls, subsequent size separation, and then particle sorting of a coarse fraction of the separated material based on differential heating and thermal imaging.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A method of sorting mined material in the form of ore particles that contain copper-containing minerals and have different grades of copper in the particles for subsequent processing to recover copper from the mined material, comprising:
-
(a) breaking particles of mined material and separating the particles into at least a coarse fraction and a fines fraction on the basis of particle size, with the coarse fraction being lower grade material than the fines fraction; (b) subjecting the coarse fraction of the particles from step (a) to heating and subsequent thermal imaging analysis and identifying particles that contain copper on the basis of thermal imaging analysis, with hotter particles being higher grade material than colder particles; and (c) separating the coarse fraction into (i) particles that contain copper on the basis of thermal imaging analysis and are higher grade material, and (ii) particles that are relatively barren with respect to copper. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification