Vaal University of Technology Faculty of Engineering and Technology Department of Metallurgy Practical Metallurgy 2 EYPRE2B Sampling Semester 1 2010

Sampling
Principles of Sampling
Sampling is the operation of removing a part convenient in size for testing, from a whole which is of much greater bulk, in such a way that the proportion and distribution of the quality to be tested are of the same in both the whole bulk and the part removed (sample). Note: The aim of sampling is to obtain an adequate sample for analysis and for testing.

Elements of Sampling
Precise definition of the quality to be tested Character of the quality under test Character of the material to be sampled Relation of the quality to be tested to the material to be sampled Character of the sample necessary to supply the information as to the quality about which information is desired Degree of accuracy is necessary Way in which the parent lot occurs Sample size required for testing and to testify theoretically and standards of accuracy and the desired degree of assurance Method of taking sample

Purpose of Sampling To acquire information about the ore entering the plant for treatment To inspect the ore condition at selected points during its progress through the plant so that comparison can be made between the optimum requirements for efficient treatment and those actually existing To disclose recovery and losses and to learn how to improve recovery and reduce losses. What to consider when taking a sample The representative weight The size to which the bulk sample must be reduced before a given purpose can begin The magnitude of the tolerance sampling error.

Fundamental rules of sampling

Every particle in the unit being sampled is equally accessible to the sampling device and has the same chance of being included in the sample The dimension of the sampling device used are sufficient to allow the largest particles present to pass freely into it The number of primary increments taken are adequate to cover the variations in quality, within the unit and to achieve the desired precision The minimum mass of the gross sample is sufficient to enable the particles to be present in the same proportions as in the mass from which it is taken

The main source of bias in sampling can be avoided in the following way: By choosing the most suitable location for the sampling point By only using types of sampling equipments which meet the necessary specifications By taking any necessary special precautions if sampling for a specific purpose, e.g., avoiding the loss or gain in moisture when sampling for total moisture and minimizing breakage when sampling for size analysis.

Minimizing Error
All sampling equipment need to be purposely designed and adequately maintained to minimize the likely source of error.

Particular care should be taken to avoid the following:

Spillage of the sample material Impendence of the flow of sampled material through the equipment. Free flow should be maintained at all times. Contamination of the sample must be prevented Loss of moisture or material

Sampling Methods 1. Hand/manual sampling Grab sampling

It consists of taking small, equal portions by scoop or shovel at random or regular intervals from the mass of material to be sampled.

Advantage: it is cheap and quick Disadvantage: it is difficult when taking a

small portion such as a shovelful/scoopful to get full representative of all sizes of particles especially when lumps are present.

Cone and Quartering

Consists of pilling the ore into a conical heap, Spreading this out into a circular cake, dividing the cake radically into quarters, taking opposite quarters as sample and rejecting the other two. The ore should be crushed through 2-in/smaller ring. The operation should be carried on in a room of sufficient size to allow convenient handling of material. The floor should be smooth and free from cracks. Advantages: -Expensive equipment is not required can be used in remote places where more elaborate sampling machinery is not available -Applicable to practically all classes of ore

Disadvantage:-The danger of salting is

considerable -It is dependent on the skill of the operator and cant be used for accurate sampling.

2. Sampling from a falling stream

- Sampling is done at a point of discharge or at a point of transfer. - Where no mechanical sampling device is available, manual sampling (using hand sample cutters) may be performed provided that access is available to the complete stream and that there is no risk to the safety of the operator. - Sample cutters should be held with the edges perpendicular to the direction of motion of the cutter and passed completely through and out of the stream in one direction with the movement as nearly uniform as possible.

- The best results are obtained by taking cuts at regular intervals of time - The cutter should be large enough so that there is no danger of overflow while making one passage through the stream of pulp - The aperture should be at least four times the diameter of the largest grain in the pulp, the cutter should be smooth inside, and watertight. - The cutter shall travel through falling stream at a uniform velocity. Practical experience has shown that cutter velocities of up to 1.5m/s can be used without producing relevant bias.

Sampling Machines: Are designed to substitute mechanical processes for the undesirable human element in sampling. They lessen or eliminate the accidental and Intentional errors introduced by the personal factor, shorten the time required for cutting a sample, and reduce the amount of operating labor.

1. Jones Riffler Consists of an assembly comprising of an even number of equally sized chutes, adjacent chute discharging at opposite sides. Ore is fed to the riffle from a scoop. Chutes are wide enough to prevent bridging by coarse particles, at least three times the diameter of the largest particle in the feed.

2. Rotary Splitter

-The material to be divided first flows through

a decentrally located feed hopper, directly into the openings in the dividing head. -The dividing process runs itself automatically and without manipulation. -The dividing head rotates at a monitored speed -The dividing heads divide the material evenly among the sample vessels.

A nomogram developed by GY is used to determine the sample size needed for representative sampling. Gys Formula: M = cd s Where M = minimum mass of sample required c = sampling constant of the material d = dimension of the largest particle in the material to be sampled s = measure of statistical error in analysis But c = flmg Where f = shape factor g = factor of particle size range l = gross mass of material to be sampled m = mineralogical composition factor

And l = (L/d) Where L = size at which liberation occurs d = described above And m = [ (1 a)/a][(1-a)r + at] Where a = fraction of ore mineral in material r = density of ore mineral t = density of gangue mineral Note: f = 0.5 for all minerals and 0.25 for Au For s, precision of 0.1% is 67/100 = s 95/100 = 2s 99/100 = 3s

Crushing

Introduction
What is Crushing? Crushing is the first stage in comminution in which the main objective is to is the liberation of the valuable minerals from the gangue. What is Comminution? What does Liberation mean?

Jaw Crusher

Working Principles
The motor drives the belt pulley and the belt pulley drives the eccentric shaft to rotate, and make the moving jar approach and leave the fixed jaw periodically, to crush, rub and grind the materials repeatedly, thus to make the material slower and slower and gradually fall down and finally discharge from the discharge opening. Distinctive Features of the jaw crusher are:
High Reduction Ratio

grading rock

Flowsheet for the gravity concentration of tin ore

Flowsheet for grinding & agitated leaching of oxidized gold ores

Flowsheet for the flotation of copper sulfide ore