Abstract: An apparatus for bulk ore sorting using gamma activation analysis is disclosed. The apparatus includes a conveyor system that includes one or more conveyor belts, surrounded by one or more radiation shields, to transport ore material along a transport path. A pulsed X-ray radiation source is configured to irradiate ore material at an irradiation region and one or more detectors are configured to detect a gamma radiation output from irradiated ore material at a detection region. The transport path has a bend, located between the irradiation region and the detection region, and about a vertical axis, of at least 45 degrees. The one or more detectors are configured to detect a radiation output from the irradiated ore material at times between X-ray pulses of the pulsed X-ray radiation source irradiating the ore material.

Abstract: An apparatus for bulk ore sorting using gamma activation analysis is disclosed. The apparatus includes a conveyor system that includes one or more conveyor belts, surrounded by one or more radiation shields, to transport ore material along a transport path. A pulsed X-ray radiation source is configured to irradiate ore material at an irradiation region and one or more detectors are configured to detect a gamma radiation output from irradiated ore material at a detection region. The transport path has a bend, located between the irradiation region and the detection region, and about a vertical axis, of at least 45 degrees. The one or more detectors are configured to detect a radiation output from the irradiated ore material at times between X-ray pulses of the pulsed X-ray radiation source irradiating the ore material.

Abstract: Acoustical methods and an associated device, to estimate one or more properties of bubbles in a liquid like medium are provided. Principally, the acoustical method comprises acoustically exciting one or more bubbles in a liquid like medium to oscillate at a resonant frequency, detecting a first signal emitted from an acoustical source arranged to acoustically excite the one or more bubbles and detecting a second signal produced from the one or more bubble oscillations, deriving at least a first and a second characteristic by performing frequency domain analysis on the detected first and second signals, the first characteristic comprising a frequency interference minimum f1min and the second characteristic comprising a bubble resonance fundamental frequency maximum f1max and estimating one or more bubble properties from at least the first and second characteristics. Further provided are acoustical methods to estimate the equilibrium size and location of one or more bubbles in a liquid-like medium.

Abstract: The average strength or Young's modulus of the constituent particles of a sample is determined from the measured speed of sound propagated from a source through the sample to a receiver. Other sample data, such as the porosity, Poisson's ratio and the pressure applied to the sample, are also used in the determination. However, no data pertaining to individual particle sizes is required. The method provides a non-destructive test for the average strengths of materials such as iron ore pellets, alumina powder, silica flour, and coal dust.

Abstract: The average strength or Young's modulus of the constituent particles of a sample is determined from the measured speed of sound propagated from a source through the sample to a receiver. Other sample data, such as the porosity, Poisson's ratio and the pressure applied to the sample, are also used in the determination. However, no data pertaining to individual particle sizes is required. The method provides a non-destructive test for the average strengths of materials such as iron ore pellets, alumina powder, silica flour, and coal dust.