Automated Scanning Electron Microscope Based Mineral Liberation Analysis An Introduction to JKMRC/FEI Mineral Liberation Analyser

Abstract

This paper presents the methods and techniques used in the recently developed JKMRC/FEI Mineral Liberation Analyser (MLA). The MLA system consists of a specially developed software package and a standard modern SEM fitted with an energy dispersive spectrum (EDS) analyser. The on-line program of the MLA software package controls the SEM, captures sample images, performs necessary image analysis and acquires EDS x-ray spectra unattended. Typically, 40 to 100 images (containing 4000 to 10,000 particles) are acquired for each sample block and a dozen blocks (of 30 mm in diameter) are measured overnight. The MLA off-line processing program transforms raw particle image with x-ray\rdata into particle mineral maps and calculates bulk and liberation data from particle mineral maps.