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PGNAA for On-line, Continuous, Bulk Elemental Analysis

By Steve Foster posted 09-29-2016 02:22 PM

  

Prompt Gamma Neutron Activation Analysis (PGNAA) provides near real-time elemental analysis for 100% of the material flow

Both on-belt and on-pipe applications

PGNAA has been adopted by various mineral operations in the past few years to help improve process control. While PGNAA Analyzers are industry standard for most coal and cement operations, they are only now beginning to become more prevalent in many mineral applications.

SABIA offers the only on-line slurry analyzer that mounts directly around the pipe to analyze 100% of the material. SABIA's  April Montera recently released a case study in conjunction with Sudbury Integrated Nickel Operations which details how PGNAA is used to improve their operations. 

Sudbury INO decided to implement PGNAA to gain greater visibility and control of input slurry composition, with the goals of improved process quality, reduced metallurgical upsets, and reduced production costs.  They determined that the greatest opportunity for improved process control would be the use of on-line elemental measurement at the exit of the filter feed tanks, in the front end of the nickel production process.  This would allow the slurry pumped from the three filter feed tanks which contain both concentrates from the Strathcona mill along with Custom Feed concentrates  to be blended to create optimal feed qualities for the fluid bed roasters. 

With 3 SABIA X1-XP Slurry Analyzers installed on each of the exit lines from the three filter feed tanks it enabled manual control of the process leading to the roaster feed tanks. Their next step is to use the analysis data for closed loop automated process control.

Read the full paper in the SME Library

You can learn about PGNAA Analyzers at www.sabiainc.com

Contact me for any additional information or questions.



#MetallurgicalProcessing #Slurry #IndustrialmineralsandAggregates #Minerals #PGNAA #TechnicalPapers #MineralProcessing
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