Industrial gamma-activation assay system for gold ore analysis

• Published in: Minerals engineering 2018-01, Vol.116, p.179-181
• Main Authors: Sokolov, A.D., Bourmistenko, Y.N., Gostilo, V.V., Titov, V.L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Gamma activation analysis; Gold analysis; Gold ore; Gold ore mining
• ISSN: 0892-6875; 1872-9444
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mineng.2017.08.005

•The paper shows the results of gamma-activation assay system development.•The described system uses an LINAC (E=8MeV; P=5kW) and HPGe spectrometer.•The gold detection limit 0.08–0.20g/t in 15s was provided.•The ore assay system provides analysis of 120 gold ore samples per one hour period. The present paper shows the results of gamma-activation assay system development as well as its commissioning in a gold mining industrial complex. The system uses an electron accelerator with energy up to 8MeV and flux power 5kW. A precision two channel gamma- spectrometer based on multi-crystal HPGe detectors was used to register spectra emitted from the sample. The detection limit for gold in 15s of measurements was 0.08–0.20g/t depending on barium and hafnium content. The registration sensitivity for 1g/t per 15s of measurement time was 500–650 pulses. The weight of the analyzed samples is 500±70g. The research results point to the capability to determine the concentrations of multiple associated elements in ore samples: Au, Ag, As, Ba, Br, Cd, Er, Ge, Hf, Hg, In, Ir, Lu, Pb, Pt, Rh, Se, Sn, Th, U, Y, W. The ore assay system has the capacity to perform analysis of over 120 gold ore samples per one hour period.