Siberian Federal University, Krasnoyarsk, Russia:

I. S. Yakimov, Professor at the Department of Composite Materials and the Physics and Chemistry of Metallurgical Processes, e-mail: i-s-yakimov@yandex.ru
O. E. Bezrukova, Research Engineer
P. S. Dubinin, Research Engineer
A. F. Shimanskiy, Head of the Department of Composite Materials and the Physics and Chemistry of Metallurgical Processes

Analytical control of metals and product quality at every stage of the production flow – from raw materials to finished product — is a pre-requisite element in the production of non-ferrous metals. As a rule, the properties of ores and solid-phase middlings defining processing efficiency are, to a greater degree, characteristic of mineral phases and their aggregates rather than of the chemical elements. That’s why, in order to ensure proper process control, in most cases it is necessary to not only monitor the chemical composition but also the mineral phase composition. The most efficient type of control includes comprehensive in-process control, which needs to be highly automated, versatile and, if possible, non-destructive. X-ray spectral analysis for elemental monitoring in combination with X-ray phase analysis for material monitoring would probably be the best option to satisfy the above requirements. The method of X-ray phase analysis would be a limiting factor in implementing such integrated monitoring system, which is due to the fact that it is not easy to develop methods enabling automated in-process analysis of particular ores, middlings and finished products. This paper examines some new approaches to automation and integrated use of X-ray spectral and X-ray phase analyses by describing the techniques developed by the authors that enable to monitor the mineral phase composition of gold containing sulphide ores and appropriate concentrates, as well as the composition of aluminium cell electrolytes. Particular attention is given to the automation of the X-ray phase analysis method on the basis of Rietveld analysis as the most advanced technique for monitoring the mineral phase composition based on the actual crystalline structure of constituent phases. The paper also analyses the accuracy of the developed methods.

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