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 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 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 controlling a froth flotation cell in a froth flotation circuit for separating substances comprises periodically carrying out a control routine to maximize froth stability during the operation of the cell. The control routine comprises changing the gas flow rate to the cell in a series of steps and assessing the froth stability at each gas flow rate and continuing the step changes in the gas flow rate until the froth stability is a peak froth stability or is within a predetermined range of the peak froth stability of the cell.

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 and an apparatus for sorting mined material, such as mined ore, are disclosed. The apparatus comprises a chamber for exposing fragments of a material to be sorted to electromagnetic radiation, with the chamber comprising an inner wall for fragments to move downwardly and outwardly over from an upper inlet of the chamber to a lower outlet of the chamber. The apparatus also comprises a detection system for assessing one or more than one characteristic of the fragments. The apparatus also comprises a sorting means for separating the fragments into multiple streams in response to the assessment of the detection system.

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 and an apparatus for sorting mined material is based on using a range of options for sensing multiple properties of a mined material on a fragment by fragment basis and then analyzing the multiple types of data and making decisions about the classification of each fragment and then sorting the fragment based on the analysis. The multiple sensing options include the response of the fragments to electromagnetic radiation. Other sensing options may include sensors that look at the response of fragments of a mined material to an acoustic wave or a magnetic field or optical sensors that evaluate texture or other surface characteristics of fragments.

Abstract: A method of reducing the size of material, such as rocks of mined ore, is disclosed. The method comprises comminuting and electro-fracturing rocks of the material and thereby reducing the rock size.

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: A method for sorting mined material in a sorting apparatus is disclosed. The method includes supplying particles of a mined material onto a conveyor belt (5), transporting the particles on the conveyor belt past a detection assembly (9, 13) and assessing the particles, and separating the particles based on the assessment into an accepts stream and a rejects stream at a discharge end of the belt using a separator assembly (29). The method also includes controlling the arrangement of particles so that there is an ordered arrangement of particles on the belt to optimise the throughput of particles through the sorting apparatus.

Abstract: A method of controlling a froth flotation cell in a froth flotation circuit for separating substances comprises periodically carrying out a control routine to maximise froth stability during the operation of the cell. The control routine comprises changing the gas flow rate to the cell in a series of steps and assessing the froth stability at each gas flow rate and continuing the step changes in the gas flow rate until the froth stability is a peak froth stability or is within a predetermined range of the peak froth stability of the cell.

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 method and an apparatus for sorting mined material, such as mined ore, are disclosed. The apparatus comprises a chamber for exposing fragments of a material to be sorted to electromagnetic radiation, with the chamber comprising an inner wall for fragments to move downwardly and outwardly over from an upper inlet of the chamber to a lower outlet of the chamber. The apparatus also comprises a detection system for assessing one or more than one characteristic of the fragments. The apparatus also comprises a sorting means for separating the fragments into multiple streams in response to the assessment of the detection system.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for sorting mined material is based on using a range of options for sensing multiple properties of a mined material on a fragment by fragment basis and then analysing the multiple types of data and making decisions about the classification of each fragment and then sorting the fragment based on the analysis. The multiple sensing options include the response of the fragments to electromagnetic radiation. Other sensing options may include sensors that look at the response of fragments of a mined material to an acoustic wave or a magnetic field or optical sensors that evaluate texture or other surface characteristics of fragments.

Abstract: A method of reducing the size of material, such as rocks of mined ore, is disclosed. The method comprises comminuting and electro-fracturing rocks of the material and thereby reducing the rock size.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method for producing titanium by reaction of titanium tetrachloride with magnesium in a reactor, wherein the temperature in the reactor is above the melting point of magnesium and below the melting point of magnesium chloride, wherein the reaction results in formation of particles comprising titanium, and wherein the particles are removed from the reactor and processed in order to recover the titanium.

Abstract: A process for producing a metal from the corresponding metal halide by reaction of the metal halide at elevated temperature in a reactor comprising a fluidised bed, the fluidised bed comprising seed particles of an inert material that has a melting point higher than that of the metal.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method for producing titanium by reaction of titanium tetrachloride with magnesium in a reactor, wherein the temperature in the reactor is above the melting point of magnesium and below the melting point of magnesium chloride, wherein the reaction results in formation of particles comprising titanium, and wherein the particles are removed from the reactor and processed in order to recover the titanium.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for treating a particulate material, in which particles of the material to be treated interact with non-static particles of a second material, the process comprising the steps of: (i) providing a processing chamber (1) having an inlet (7) and an outlet (10) spaced downstream therefrom, the base (15) of said chamber comprising a plurality of outwardly radiating inclined vanes (20, 25), (ii) providing a host bed of particles (30) which include inert particles, alumina, limestone and activated carbon in the chamber (1) and generating a flow of fluid through the vanes (20, 25) at the base (15) of the processing chamber such that the bed of host particles (30) circulates about an axis of the chamber in a compact band, (iii) injecting particles of the material to be treated including sulphide ore, kaolin, gypsum and talc through an inlet (5) of the chamber (1) to contact with the circulating bed of the host particles (30), wherein the relative terminal velocity of the partic