3D particle characterization. Can we do it and are we ready for it?

Several ore materials were characterized by 2D mineral liberation analysis (MLA), by X-ray computed tomography (CT) and by other standard bulk techniques like X-ray diffraction (XRD) and laser scattering. A comparison of the different properties show that particle properties measured with CT were often different from the other techniques. This is interpreted not as a failure of CT but as a natural consequence of it’s strengths and limitations relative to the other techniques. This raises important questions, how can CT be validated relative to standardized techniques in order to be more broadly applied for particle characterization? Which 3D properties from CT can we trust? And how can those 3D properties be used to new discoveries in process mineralogy? These questions will be answered in light of specific case studies analysed using a new automated and standardized workflow for 3D particle analysis.