GEOL0312-1 : Process mineralogy

Study Programmes 2016-2017

GEOL0312-1

Process mineralogy

Duration :

25h Th, 25h Labo., 15h Proj.

Number of credits :

Master in geology and mining engineering, professional focus in geometallurgy (EMERALD)		5
Master in geology and mining engineering (120 ECTS)		5

Lecturer :

Eric Pirard

Language(s) of instruction :

English language

Organisation and examination :

Teaching in the first semester, review in January

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite :

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents :

Introduction : from analytical chemistry to analytical mineralogy
Sampling of particulate materials
Particle Size and Shape Analysis
Sieving, Coulter, Sedimentation, Laser Diffraction, Image Analysis,...
Representation of particle size distributions (PSD)
Statistics for PSD
Reflected Light Optical Microscopy
Theory of optics and mineral surfaces
Mineralogical Imaging
Image processing and analysis principles
Quantitative mineralogy (modal analysis, liberation analysis,...)
Electron beam microscopy
The electron microscope
Imaging modes (SE, BSE, ...)
Electron beam microanalysis and mapping
Automated mineralogy
Infrared and Raman spectroscopy for minerals
X Ray diffraction
Xray MicroCT Tomography

Learning outcomes of the learning unit :

Understand qualitative and quantitative analytical mineralogy techniques essential for monitoring mineral processing operations.
Be able to use them appropriately and to make a sound data interpretation
Be able to cross-correlate the results of the different techniques for validation
Make use of the obtained mineralogical data to balance unit operations and identify issues related to elemental deportment in the process
Be able to build recovery curves and develop a geometallurgical approach in processing complex and low grade ores

Prerequisite knowledge and skills :

Basic Mineralogy Course
Notions of Mineral Processing

Planned learning activities and teaching methods :

Lectures are delivered in a classroom allowing for spontaneous interaction between professor and students. The lessons use PPT with images of microscopic ore textures.

Every (2h) lecture is complemented by a (2h) practical session on the instruments presented during the course. The students are given real ore samples on which they have to perform a series of analyses and report in written form about their findings. Ideally the samples are those on which they work in the mineral processing course so that the analytical information gathered during these practical sessions serves for the interpretation of recoveries obtained in the mineral processing lab.

Whenever possible scholars (expert researchers) are invited to present insights into the most advanced and innovative technologies (ex. X-Ray tomography; automated mineralogy;...).

Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning) :

Frontal instruction (2h) to explain the principles, capabilities and limitations of the techniques
Hands-on learning (2h) on real ore samples using a variety of techniques
Written report and face-to-face discussion with young researchers about results