Abstract: A microwave radiation applicator for exposing mined material to microwave radiation is disclosed. The applicator includes side walls 3 and end walls 5 that define a chamber. One end wall has an opening that forms an inlet for mined material to be supplied to the chamber and the other end wall has an opening that defines an outlet for mined material to be discharged from the chamber. The side walls define a pentagon in transverse cross-section.

Abstract: A surgical impactor (2) for inserting a prosthetic implant (26) into a bone, the surgical impactor (2) comprising: a movable retaining means (8) for releasably connecting the implant (26) to the surgical impactor (2), wherein the movable retaining means (8) has a first position in which the implant (26) is connected to the surgical impactor (2) and a second position in which the implant (26) is not connected to the surgical impactor (2); and a mechanism (14, 16) for moving the movable retaining means (8) between the first and second positions, wherein the movable retaining means (8) and the mechanism (14, 16) are removable from the surgical impactor (2).

Abstract: A ligament balancer for a knee is disclosed that includes a first guide portion having a first guide hole extending there through, and a second guide portion having a second guide hole extending there through, the first and second guide portions being moveable with respect to each other along a movement axis, the balancer being adapted such that, in use, the movement axis is substantially parallel to the anterior/posterior axis of a distal femoral surface. Also disclosed is a kit of parts that includes the ligament balancer and a drill guide for a knee, the drill guide includes first and second connected arms, each arm comprising at least two guide openings extending there through, the guide openings being spaced longitudinally along each arm, longitudinal axes of the first and second arms intersecting at a predetermined angle. Also disclosed is a method of attaching a cutting block to a distal femoral surface as part of a knee replacement procedure.

Abstract: A method of implanting a lateral unicondylar knee prosthesis in a lateral articulating portion of a femur having a lateral condyle for engagement with a tibia, the method including the steps of: bending a patients knee such that the knee is not in full extension; making an incision through the skin, muscle, and other soft tissue until the damaged bone surfaces are exposed; resecting an end portion of the lateral tibia; resecting an end portion of the lateral femoral condyle; attaching a tibial prosthetic component to the resected end portion of the tibia; attaching a lateral femoral condyle prosthetic component to the resected end portion of the lateral femoral condyle; determining the thickness of a mobile bearing member with the knee in full extension; and inserting the mobile bearing member between the tibial prosthetic component and the femoral prosthetic component.

Abstract: A heap of a material to be leached to recover a valuable metal from the material includes an electromagnetic heating system to generate heat in situ in the heap.

Abstract: A method of sorting fragments of mined material that includes valuable and non-valuable materials is disclosed. The method comprising heating the fragments by heating selected materials within the fragments and thermally analysing fragments of the mined material to determine the temperature of each fragment. The method further comprises sorting fragments on the basis of the thermal analysis to separate fragments having a temperature within a temperature band defined by a range between an upper temperature limit and a lower temperature limit from fragments having a temperature outside the temperature band. The upper and lower temperature limits are selected to identify fragments as containing an amount of valuable material that is economically viable to extract based on the fragment temperature. Also disclosed are an apparatus for sorting mined material and a method of recovering valuable material by sorting in according with the sorting method.

Abstract: A ligament balancer for a knee is disclosed that includes a first guide portion having a first guide hole extending there through, and a second guide portion having a second guide hole extending there through, the first and second guide portions being moveable with respect to each other along a movement axis, the balancer being adapted such that, in use, the movement axis is substantially parallel to the anterior/posterior axis of a distal femoral surface. Also disclosed is a kit of parts that includes the ligament balancer and a drill guide for a knee, the drill guide includes first and second connected arms, each arm comprising at least two guide openings extending there through, the guide openings being spaced longitudinally along each arm, longitudinal axes of the first and second arms intersecting at a predetermined angle. Also disclosed is a method of attaching a cutting block to a distal femoral surface as part of a knee replacement procedure.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides an apparatus for treatment of mined material. The apparatus comprises a source for generating electromagnetic radiation and a microwave inlet region for exposing fragments of the mined material to the electromagnetic radiation. Further, the apparatus comprises a reflective structure adjacent the microwave inlet region and providing, or surrounding, a passage for guiding the fragments of the mined material to the microwave inlet region. The reflective structure is arranged to attenuate penetration of the electromagnetic radiation from the microwave inlet region into the passage during throughput of the fragments of the mined material.

Abstract: A method of sorting mined material, such as mined ore, is disclosed. The method comprises exposing particles of mined material to radio frequency electromagnetic radiation and heating particles depending on the minerals present in the particles and then thermally analyzing particles exposed to radio frequency electromagnetic radiation to detect temperature differences between particles which indicate differences in the minerals in the particles. The method also comprises sorting the particles on the basis of the results of the thermal analysis.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing mined material that includes an applicator assembly (2) is disclosed. The applicator assembly includes a plurality of applicators (12) for exposing a moving bed of fragments of mined material to electromagnetic radiation as the bed of fragments moves through the applicator assembly. The applicators are arranged so that, in use, there is a high level of assurance that all of the fragments in the moving bed will receive at least a minimum exposure to electromagnetic radiation by the time the fragments reach an outlet end (8) of the applicator assembly.

Abstract: A method for treating an ore material with electro-magnetic energy, the method comprising at least the steps of: agglomerating the ore material; irradiating the ore material with electromagnetic energy; thereby heating the liquid in the ore material; vapourising at least a portion of the liquid in the ore material; forming micro-channels in the ore material, and acid leaching the ore material.

Abstract: A microwave radiation applicator for exposing mined material to microwave radiation is disclosed. The applicator includes side walls 3 and end walls 5 that define a chamber. One end wall has an opening that forms an inlet for mined material to be supplied to the chamber and the other end wall has an opening that defines an outlet for mined material to be discharged from the chamber. The side walls define a pentagon in transverse cross-section.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing mined material, such as mined ore, is disclosed. The apparatus includes an applicator (2) for exposing a downwardly moving bed of fragments of a material to electromagnetic radiation. The applicator includes a tube (4) for containing the moving bed of fragments that has an upper inlet and a lower outlet and a transverse cross-sectional area that increases between the inlet and the outlet.

Abstract: Ways of applying microwaves to feedstock to be processed are disclosed. One embodiment relates to heating inter-layer water in vermiculite to expand the vermiculite. Another embodiment relates to heating water in oil-contaminated materials and waste products, such as drilling cuttings, contaminated soils and certain types of animal by-products, to drive out oil. In some embodiments a microwave tunnel applicator has the microwaves applied from beneath the feedstock.

Abstract: An apparatus for sorting mined material, such as mined ore, includes an applicator for exposing fragments of a material to electromagnetic radiation and an assembly for distributing fragments from the applicator so that the fragments move downwardly and outwardly from an upper inlet of the assembly and are discharged from a lower outlet of the assembly as individual, separate fragments that are not in contact with each other. The apparatus also includes a detection and assessment system for detecting and assessing one or more than one characteristic of the fragments and a sorting means in the form of a separator for separating the fragments into multiple streams in response to the assessment.

Abstract: A bearing component 2 for a joint replacement prosthesis comprises a first bearing element 4; a second bearing element 6, and a linking element 8, operatively connecting the first and second bearing elements 4, 6 and permitting relative motion there between. The flexible linking element 8 prevents dislocation of mobile bearings in a total knee replacement prosthesis. The invention also relates to a bridging element which retains the linking element 8 with some play, which acts as a ligament support 2051, and which causes a deflection of the line of action of a ligament 1018. A joint replacement prosthesis is also disclosed comprising a biasing element 1140 or a tensioning element 1220 operatively coupled to the artificial ligament 1018. The biasing element 1140 or tensioning element 1220 may be housed in the stem of a tibial tray 1006.

Abstract: A method of sorting mined material, such as mined ore, is disclosed. The method comprises exposing particles of mined material to radio frequency electromagnetic radiation and heating particles depending on the minerals present in the particles and then thermally analysing particles exposed to radio frequency electromagnetic radiation to detect temperature differences between particles which indicate differences in the minerals in the particles. The method also comprises sorting the particles on the basis of the results of the thermal analysis.

Abstract: A surgical impactor (2) for inserting a prosthetic implant (26) into a bone, the surgical impactor (2) comprising: a movable retaining means (8) for releasably connecting the implant (26) to the surgical impactor (2), wherein the movable retaining means (8) has a first position in which the implant (26) is connected to the surgical impactor (2) and a second position in which the implant (26) is not connected to the surgical impactor (2); and a mechanism (14, 16) for moving the movable retaining means (8) between the first and second positions, wherein the movable retaining means (8) and the mechanism (14, 16) are removable from the surgical impactor (2).

Abstract: A ligament balancer for a knee is disclosed that includes a first guide portion having a first guide hole extending there through, and a second guide portion having a second guide hole extending there through, the first and second guide portions being moveable with respect to each other along a movement axis, the balancer being adapted such that, in use, the movement axis is substantially parallel to the anterior/posterior axis of a distal femoral surface. Also disclosed is a kit of parts that includes the ligament balancer and a drill guide for a knee, the drill guide includes first and second connected arms, each arm comprising at least two guide openings extending there through, the guide openings being spaced longitudinally along each arm, longitudinal axes of the first and second arms intersecting at a predetermined angle. Also disclosed is a method of attaching a cutting block to a distal femoral surface as part of a knee replacement procedure.