Ore sorting using microwave irradiation

Automatic ore sorting machines are in common use in the mining industry. These machines generally separate valuable mineral-bearing rocks from waste rocks. At the Premier Diamond Mine in South Africa kimberlite, a diamond-bearing rock is separated from gabbro which is a waste rock. Work had been conducted previously in the Department of Electrical Engineering at the University of Cape Town to find a viable method for discriminating between gabbro and kimberlite. A technique using microwave irradiation attenuation was successful when using parallel-sided smooth-surfaced rocks. This technique used linearly polarized square antennas at 35GHz. Problems were experienced, however, with irregu1arly shaped rock s. The aim of the present study was therefore to deve1op a technique which will sort irregularly shaped rocks and eliminate the problems associated with them.

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Department of Electrical Engineering

Year dc:date.issued

1989

Author dc:creator

• Booi, Mlamli

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Downing, B J

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/11427/8336

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/8336