National Mineral Resources University (University of Mines) (Russia):

Krapivsky Ye. I., Professor, Doctor of Engineering Sciences, rom-ska@yandex.ru

Possibilities of radiometric sorting are analyzed with respect to mining enterprises in Russia. Radiometric and nuclear-physical methods permit to re-locate ore pre-concentration stage outside of ore-dressing plant, and bring it to the head of ore mining process. Main tasks of radiometric ore sorting are formulated: removal of barren rock and substandard out-of-balance ore; separation of ores into processing sorts, differing with respect to processing technologies; drawing of substandard out-of-balance ores and dumps into processing through increase in valuable components content; preparation of ores for lump radiometric sorting. New developments in this area, accomplished as of today, are described: type designs of ore sorting stations; ore fields express geological-radiometric mapping technologies; technologies for overburden removal and ore mining operations with application of geological-radiometric mapping, radiometric batch sorting and separation; ore stream splitters on conveyor belts and flows of ore with annual capacity up to 20 million tons; X-ray sensors based on refilling counters of large area entrance window (200 cm²), Compton background suppression system, high detective efficiency of high-energy X-ray quantum (pressure up to 1 MPa); spectrometers with inbuilt microprocessor instrumentation; instrumentation graduation methods with related software; ore mineral content determination methods that take into consideration geometrical conditions of measurement, nuclear-physical properties of ore and allied minerals. The presented systematical data indicate a possible application of radiometric ore sorting at most base and ferrous metals deposits, as well as industrial minerals deposits. Working experience shows, that at base and rare metals deposits on many occasions from 15 to 50 % of substandard out-of-balance ore may be rejected, depending on its contrasts.

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