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US 8,134,712 B1Granted
Apparatus and method for estimation of ore quality using color correlations
AssigneeNalco Company
InventorsMark Crosbie, Colin Howard
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus and method for estimating ore quality using color correlations is disclosed. The apparatus and method quantify ash or grade concentration in process streams arid/or samples in real time, allowing for the optimization of ore processing operations, The apparatus and method employ a light beam at a given wavelength, which allows for the measurement of ash content or grade.
Claims12
An apparatus for measuring a quality of ore fines in an ore processing operation, the apparatus comprising:
- a light generator, the light generator generating a focused beam, the focused beam having a wavelength in the visible spectrum;
- a detector, the detector detecting a reflected signal and converting the reflected signal into an electrical signal;
- and
- an outputting device;
- wherein the light generator shines the focused beam into a process stream of the ore processing operation;
- wherein the detector detects the reflected signal from the light generator shining the focused beam into the process stream of the ore processing operation;
- and
- wherein the outputting device converts the electrical signal into a quantifiable value corresponding to the quality of ore fines of the process stream of the ore processing operation
- wherein the quality of ore fines corresponds to the slurry ash concentration of the process stream.
6 more elements
A method for improving ore separation efficiency of an ore processing operation, the method comprising the steps of:
- analyzing a slurry ash concentration in a process stream of the ore processing operation;
- outputting an electrical signal corresponding to the slurry ash concentration;
- wherein the analyzing is performed by
- shining a light beam into the process stream of the ore processing operation, the light beam having a wavelength in the visible spectrum, and
- detecting light reflected from the shining of the light beam into the process stream of the ore processing operation.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.