Applications in the Resource Industry - Between Handheld Instruments and 4D Methods

An exemplary overview of the use of X-ray-based analytical methods in the resource industry, underpinned by examples, gives a very heterogeneous picture. The use of these methods is considered in the exploration, mining, mechanical processing and metallurgical/chemical processing of primary and secondary mineral and metallic raw materials.
Although X-ray diffraction, fluorescence, absorption and luminescence as well as various tomographic methods cover a very broad spectrum of methods, in many cases their use is apparently rather arbitrary, regardless of the respective matrix, technology and location.
For example for offline characterisation of raw materials and intermediates, established and reliable methods as well as pure estimation methods are used. In inline analytics, ad-hoc analytical instruments are used in addition to metrologically well-proven measuring systems that are well integrated into the respective technological processes. The enforcement of state standards with regard to environmental protection and resource use leads to a significant increase in the use of analytical technology and increased requirements for the certification of procedures.
A conspicuous feature is the constantly growing use of mobile "handheld devices", which are often used at decisive points to control the flow of materials. Very often, it can be observed that these devices, which in principle are very powerful, work under their respective capabilities or lead to significantly wrong results due to insufficiently thought-out and implemented measuring methods.
Almost all inline analytical methods used for sorting or process monitoring have the characteristic that they only lead to binary decisions. A comprehensive characterization of the material flow, which would lead both to flexible adaptation of the technologies used subsequently and to a significantly more differentiated splitting of the material flow, is a consequence of the ever more complex properties of the primary and secondary raw materials. This is the result of the change to economic forms with significantly stronger elements of a circular economy.
On the basis of current research at the HIF, it is presented how such a multi-effective measuring system could be designed. Furthermore, the advantages of the use of 3D methods in the characterization of primary and secondary raw materials as well as in the description of technological processes will be demonstrated. Both spectral XRCT (X-Ray Computed Tomography) and dynamic time-resolved XRCT methods are used.