Prototype design for gamma activation measurement of gold on conveyor

Project completed by CRC ORE: Optimising Resource Extraction which receives allocation of MRIWA funds.

The Challenge

• The gold industry faces a projected future of decreasing grades and increased deposit complexity.
• Detector performance could help maintain optimal performance in mineral processing.
• To achieve this, detectors would need to deliver accurate measurement of gold content in real time for feed moving into a processing circuit

Key Findings

• This research delivered a buildable, costed design for an on-belt gold ore sensing pilot facility delivering direct performance measurement on an operating conveyor.
• The principal components of this system include a high-power X-ray source, detector array, radiation conveyor, and main shield.
• This plan could be directly translated to a site-based trial at a production ore feed rate.

Benefit to WA

• The new technological solution delivered by this research will support improvements in the efficiency and profitability of the Western Australian gold industry.
• As gold mining becomes more efficient and effective, it boosts the Western Australian economy, stimulating import, exports and trade.

Keywords: gamma activation measurement, gold extraction, real-time extraction, on-site