ZEISS has launched automated mineralogy solution Mineralogic Mining, which can perform petrological analysis to quantify minerals in real-time.
Mineralogic Mining is claimed to provide complete quantitative evaluation during mineral exploration, ore characterisation, process optimisation and tailings-control processes.
The system features a scanning electron microscope with one or more EDS detectors, a mineral analysis engine and the mining software plug-in.
The new technology will allow the mining industry to sustainably enhance the recovery of natural resources, the company said.
ZEISS Mineralogic Mining provides automated analysis, reports and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS) maps by integrating the mineral analysis engine with a scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive spectrometers.
In addition, the solution also has the ability to tailor sample analysis workflows and select among four different mineral classification techniques.
With the help of image processing functions, Mineralogic Mining can distinguish between elements having similar atomic weight such as coal and iron ore. All sample analysis and processing of data is performed in real-time.
The ZEISS Mineralogic Mining system can be used in a variety of applications, including ore valuation and characterisation, optimisation of the grinding and beneficiation processes, environmental control and forensics, quality assurance and control, process optimisation, process mineralogy, mineral mapping, and other applications.
ZEISS mining segment manager Dr Ben Tordoff said: “The launch of ZEISS Mineralogic Mining marks an important return to the mining sector for ZEISS.
“This sophisticated tool brings new technology to mining, which requires minimal user input to generate exactly the information that is needed to make the right process decisions.”
The ZEISS Mineralogic Mining is offered on conventional, field emission and focused ion beam electron microscopes with an option to correlate data with optical and X-ray datasets.