XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3 467
particle ore sorting. Therefore, further particle ore sorting
production tests at larger bulk scales are not recommended.
However, similar to the approach with the scandium
ore, conducting heterogeneity tests on 50–100 rocks from
one or more size fractions of the REE ore could be benefi-
cial. These tests would aim to confirm whether the limited
sortability observed in the particle sorting is indeed due to
minimal compositional heterogeneity between the rocks
within a size fraction.
CONCLUSIONS
This study presented the results of particle sorting case
studies on critical mineral ore samples including lithium,
scandium, and rare earth elements (REE). Initially, static
imaging tests using four different sensors were conducted
to identify rock differences and develop calibration algo-
rithms. Subsequently, dynamic sorting tests determined the
most effective sorting strategies, which were then applied
in production tests with approximately 50–100 kg of feed
material from selected size fractions of all three ore types.
Comprehensive metallurgical balances were calculated
for each sorting production test, and cumulative recovery
versus mass pull curves were plotted for specific elements or
mineral components.
In the production sorting tests with the lithium peg-
matite ore sample, effective sorting was achieved using only
the color sensor for both –4.0/+1.5 and –1.5/+0.5 size
fractions. These production tests recovered 90−95% of Li/
spodumene in the concentrates, with 23−29% of the mass
rejected in the tails grading at 0.119−0.157 wt% Li. The
final concentrates had grades of 0.543−0.602 wt% Li, rep-
resenting upgrade ratios of 1.23−1.26 compared to the feed
grades of 0.432−0.490 wt% Li. These results demonstrated
that the lithium ore sample provided could be amenable to
sensor-based ore sorting using the color sensor.
For the scandium syenite ore sample, DE-XRT
sorting production tests with the –2.0/+1.0 and
–1.0/+0.5 size fractions resulted in a slight preconcentra-
tion of iron-bearing minerals and a slight prerejection of
feldspars. However, no significant upgrading in scandium
or other REE was observed. Consequently, conducting fur-
ther particle sorting production tests at larger scales is not
recommended for the scandium ore sample.
Lastly, in production tests using DE-XRT sorting for
the –3.0/+1.5 and –1.5/+0.5 size fractions of the REE ore
sample, greater preconcentration was noted for La, Ce, and
Pr compared to Nd, Sm, and Gd among the six REEs with
significant abundance variations. The (REE)(PO4) com-
ponent showed the highest level of preconcentration rela-
tive to other mineral components, yet the overall particle
sorting performance was marginal. The production tests
achieved only a slight preconcentration of the (REE)(PO4)
component, along with (Mn,Fe)-carbonates and fluorite,
and a slight prerejection of (Ca,Mg)-carbonates in both size
fractions. Particle sorting production tests at larger bulk
scales are thus not recommended for the REE ore sample.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
This research was funded by the Critical Minerals Research,
Development, and Demonstration (CMRDD) program
administered by the CanmetMINING research centre at
Natural Resources Canada.
REFERENCES
Comex. (2023). CXR separation system. Retrieved from
https://comex-group.com/sorting-technologies
/cxr-separation-system/.
Commerce Resources Corp. (2023). Retrieved from
https://commerceresources.com/projects/the-ashram
-rare-earth-element-and-fluorspar-deposit/.
Couillard, M., &Mercier, P. (2016). Analytical electron
microscopy of carbon-rich mineral aggregates in sol-
vent-diluted bitumen products from mined Alberta oil
sands. Energy Fuels, 30, 5513–5524.
Imperial Mining Group. (2023). Retrieved from https://
imperialmgp.com/projects/crater-lake/.
J.R. Goode and Associates. (2016). A study of coarse ore pre-
concentration and potential applicability to Canadian
Rare Earth deposits. Canadian Rare Earth Element
R&D Initiative, Natural Resources Canada, Ottawa,
ON.
Natural Resources Canada -NRCan. (2023). Critical min-
erals in Canada. Retrieved from Canada.ca: https://
www.canada.ca/en/campaign/critical-minerals-in
-canada/critical-minerals-an-opportunity-for-canada
.html.
Sayona. (2023). Retrieved from https://www.sayona.ca/en/
particle ore sorting. Therefore, further particle ore sorting
production tests at larger bulk scales are not recommended.
However, similar to the approach with the scandium
ore, conducting heterogeneity tests on 50–100 rocks from
one or more size fractions of the REE ore could be benefi-
cial. These tests would aim to confirm whether the limited
sortability observed in the particle sorting is indeed due to
minimal compositional heterogeneity between the rocks
within a size fraction.
CONCLUSIONS
This study presented the results of particle sorting case
studies on critical mineral ore samples including lithium,
scandium, and rare earth elements (REE). Initially, static
imaging tests using four different sensors were conducted
to identify rock differences and develop calibration algo-
rithms. Subsequently, dynamic sorting tests determined the
most effective sorting strategies, which were then applied
in production tests with approximately 50–100 kg of feed
material from selected size fractions of all three ore types.
Comprehensive metallurgical balances were calculated
for each sorting production test, and cumulative recovery
versus mass pull curves were plotted for specific elements or
mineral components.
In the production sorting tests with the lithium peg-
matite ore sample, effective sorting was achieved using only
the color sensor for both –4.0/+1.5 and –1.5/+0.5 size
fractions. These production tests recovered 90−95% of Li/
spodumene in the concentrates, with 23−29% of the mass
rejected in the tails grading at 0.119−0.157 wt% Li. The
final concentrates had grades of 0.543−0.602 wt% Li, rep-
resenting upgrade ratios of 1.23−1.26 compared to the feed
grades of 0.432−0.490 wt% Li. These results demonstrated
that the lithium ore sample provided could be amenable to
sensor-based ore sorting using the color sensor.
For the scandium syenite ore sample, DE-XRT
sorting production tests with the –2.0/+1.0 and
–1.0/+0.5 size fractions resulted in a slight preconcentra-
tion of iron-bearing minerals and a slight prerejection of
feldspars. However, no significant upgrading in scandium
or other REE was observed. Consequently, conducting fur-
ther particle sorting production tests at larger scales is not
recommended for the scandium ore sample.
Lastly, in production tests using DE-XRT sorting for
the –3.0/+1.5 and –1.5/+0.5 size fractions of the REE ore
sample, greater preconcentration was noted for La, Ce, and
Pr compared to Nd, Sm, and Gd among the six REEs with
significant abundance variations. The (REE)(PO4) com-
ponent showed the highest level of preconcentration rela-
tive to other mineral components, yet the overall particle
sorting performance was marginal. The production tests
achieved only a slight preconcentration of the (REE)(PO4)
component, along with (Mn,Fe)-carbonates and fluorite,
and a slight prerejection of (Ca,Mg)-carbonates in both size
fractions. Particle sorting production tests at larger bulk
scales are thus not recommended for the REE ore sample.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
This research was funded by the Critical Minerals Research,
Development, and Demonstration (CMRDD) program
administered by the CanmetMINING research centre at
Natural Resources Canada.
REFERENCES
Comex. (2023). CXR separation system. Retrieved from
https://comex-group.com/sorting-technologies
/cxr-separation-system/.
Commerce Resources Corp. (2023). Retrieved from
https://commerceresources.com/projects/the-ashram
-rare-earth-element-and-fluorspar-deposit/.
Couillard, M., &Mercier, P. (2016). Analytical electron
microscopy of carbon-rich mineral aggregates in sol-
vent-diluted bitumen products from mined Alberta oil
sands. Energy Fuels, 30, 5513–5524.
Imperial Mining Group. (2023). Retrieved from https://
imperialmgp.com/projects/crater-lake/.
J.R. Goode and Associates. (2016). A study of coarse ore pre-
concentration and potential applicability to Canadian
Rare Earth deposits. Canadian Rare Earth Element
R&D Initiative, Natural Resources Canada, Ottawa,
ON.
Natural Resources Canada -NRCan. (2023). Critical min-
erals in Canada. Retrieved from Canada.ca: https://
www.canada.ca/en/campaign/critical-minerals-in
-canada/critical-minerals-an-opportunity-for-canada
.html.
Sayona. (2023). Retrieved from https://www.sayona.ca/en/