Bear Lodge: verification study indicates significant mass of mined material is “rejectable” during sortation Innovation

Rock specimens were classified, and the weight percent of “rejectable” material was quantified by this verification study, as seen in the table above. SciAps Powerhouse 80kV XRF unit (top left) was used to verify rock sortation classifications; these being “bulk ore (black), low-grade crust ore (blend of red, yellow, and green), high-grade crust ore (blue), and barren rock” respectively (top right to bottom right).
Rock specimens were classified, and the weight percent of “rejectable” material was quantified by this verification study, as seen in the table above. SciAps Powerhouse 80kV XRF unit (top left) was used to verify rock sortation classifications; these being “bulk ore (black), low-grade crust ore (blend of red, yellow, and green), high-grade crust ore (blue), and barren rock” respectively (top right to bottom right). 

CMI researchers from Colorado School of Mines conducted the activity for this highlight

Innovation 
Implementation of new x-ray fluorescence (XRF) technology to verify ore sortability.

Achievement 
SciAps’ state-of-the-art 80kV Powerhouse XRF enabled point analysis of specimens scanned for sortation. Results indicate that XRT sortation is ~90% accurate & may enable rejection of 25% ±5% of the deposit’s weight before crushing.

Significance and Impact

  • XRT sortation technology seems to be effective at classifying rare earth ore.
  • Savings in water & energy usage are directly proportional to the deposit’s “rejectable” weight percent. 

Hub Target Addressed 
Developing processes to recover and separate REEs from traditional or unconventional sources.