MINERAL PROCESSING
SAMPLING
P.Govardhana
Dept of Metallurgical & Materials Engineering
National Institute of Technology Warangal
Sampling
Large bulk scale ores
Chemical and size analysis needed small quantity (portion)
of ore
To select a portion of the bulk material in such a way that it
is representative of that larger amount
This portion known as Sample
This method is known as Sampling
Contd...
Importance of sampling
Ex: Purchase of 100 ton of gold ore carried out based on
15 grams of gold ore sample
Factors effecting selection of proper sample
The physical state of the material
Its moisture content
Presence of material
The value of the material
Sampling rules
Take sample frequently, i.e., a large no of small samples is
much better than a few large samples
Mix thoroughly well before removal of each sample
Crush progressively, i.e., reduce the size of the particle
Types of sampling
Hand sampling and mechanical sampling
Hand sampling
1. Grab sampling
2. Trench/channel sampling
3. Fractional sampling
4. Coning and quartering
5. Pipe sampling
Grab sampling
Least accurate process
Cheapest and rapid
Selecting small portion of material from large quantities of
material in random manner
They are thrown together to form base for final sample
Used for Large piles of ore, Slag dump etc
Trench/channel sampling
Slightly refined process of grab sampling
Material is spread out flat and channelled in one direction
with shovel
Material for sample taken at each regular intervals along
the channel
Repeated of several times until sample of proper size has
been secured
Fractional sampling
Ore shovelled out for rail road car
Every fifth or tenth sample shovel ore can be taken as
sample
Followed for large scale low-grade ores
Coining and Quartering
Oldest technique
sampling of small quantities of ore (50 lbs to several tons)
Repeated for several times
Accuracy can be increased
by crushing in between
repetitions
Should not be used for
accurate sampling
Pipe sampling
Running pipe or grooved bar into the material to be
sampled
Drawing the bar from the sampling material
Material is collected for the sample from the hole or groove
which was present on the bar
Process was repeated for several times
All sampling material is combined to form final sample
Mechanical sampling
Widely used in large scale sampling and tailing processes
Movement of the material is needed
Systematically remove a portion of the stream of material
for a sample
Mechanical sampling devices used near the crushers or
above the moving ore on the machine in order to
continuously take out the sample
Mechanical sampling
Mechanical sampling consists following processes
1. Whistle pipe sampling
2. Bank or combination riffles
3. Vezin sampler
4. Synder sampler
5. Brunton oscillating sampler
Whistle pipe sampling
Whistle pipe sampler consists of vertical iron/steel pipes
Openings are present at half way through the pipe
(horizontally 90 C)
At each stage of openings (splitters) some of material was
rejected and other moves forward
Sample which was remained at final level will be collected
as sample
Weight of the sample is 1/2n2 part of total bed
where n is number of splits
Whistle pipe sampling
The advantages of whistle pipe samplers are
Cheapness of installation
Easy operation
Simplicity
Quick reduction of bulk
No power is needed for operation
Bank or Combination riffles
Made up of combination of five sets of riffles
Each riffle is made up a number of troughs of equal width
separated by cutting edges
Discharge takes place in opposite directions
Material is fed uniform sheet over the first riffle and split into
many streams
First riffles discharge was input for second set of riffles where
these are smaller than first one
These produce four main streams ( 2 collect, 2 reject )
Over third set of riffles 1/8 th of total feed is collected form each
riffles
Bank or Combination riffles
Advantages
Simple operation
used for fine ores
Wear on the dividing edges is not great
Disadvantages
Construction is not simple
Great care is required to ensure what each compartment is of
same width to others
Possibility that during operation dividing edges may become
bent
Vezin sampler
Consists of two hollow truncated coins
Joined to base for one or more
scoops attached to the upper cone
Vezin sampler
Advantages
Ability to take an accurate sample
Simplicity of construction
Easy accessibility for observation and repairs
Disadvantages
Head room requires more
Danger of clogging (preventing movement)
More material is taken from sides of the stream than center
Brunton Oscillating sampler
Consists of hopper which receives ore and discharges
through vertical chute
Two reject deflecting surfaces and sample deflecting
surface were present these are separated by cutting edges
Sample and reject are discharges in opposite directions
Speed 72 oscillations per min
Brunton Oscillating sampler
Advantages
Requires little head room
Easily accessible for examination and repair
Quickly cleaned
Disadvantages
The material more form the sides of the stream than it
does from the center
Sampling techniques
Errors in sampling
The major source of errors or all hand sampling
operations is personal and many of the discrepancies
found in samples cut by hand are due to
Carelessness
Ignorance
Dishonest of the operator
In mechanical sampling personal equation is largely
eliminated and completely ignored
Design of mechanical operations in good condition will
gives accurate sample
Some problems may arises because of
Cutter edges are bent
In chutes ore is partially blocked
Ore hangs up at any point in the sampling system
Thank You
