The influence of X-ray fluorescence separation algorithm on the effectiveness of pre-concentration of copper–zinc ore

The use of X-ray fluorescence separation for pre-concentration of ores that containing two or more valuable components will be effective when using separation algorithms that allow the separation of products, most often collective tailings, with a given quality for all valuable components. Using the example of a sample of two-component copper-zinc ore, the use of an R-algorithm is considered, taking into account, in the limiting case, the content of both valuable components with weighting coefficients, or the use in the hardware version of a complex analytical separation parameter representing the sum of X-ray spectral estimates for both copper and zinc, one of which is multiplied by a constant coefficient. It is revealed that the choice of an effective separation algorithm for the pre-concentration of complex raw materials by the X-ray fluorescence method depends on the lump density distribution of all valuable components in the ore. The study of the influence of weighting coefficients on separation indicators showed that the weighting coefficient significantly affects the yield of collective tails under given restrictions on the content of valuable components in them. It can be noted that for the studied sample, a change in the weight coefficient changes the potential yield of collective tails, which also significantly depends on the specified contents of valuable components in the tails. The described method of finding the separation algorithm can be applied when calculating potential technological indicators, as well as when choosing the settings of X-ray fluorescence separators in the case of pre-enrichment of complex, including multicomponent ores by X-ray fluorescence separation.

Tsypin E. F., Efremova T. A., Ovchinnikova T. Yu. The influence of X-ray fluorescence separation algorithm on the effectiveness of pre-concentration of copper–zinc ore. MIAB. Mining Inf. Anal. Bull. 2025;(1-1):208-220. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.25018/0236_1493_2025_11_ 0_208.

E.F. Tsypin¹, Dr. Sci. (Eng.), Professor, e-mail: tsipin.e@mail.ru, ORCID ID: 0000-0003-3921-2695,
T.A. Efremova, Cand. Sci. (Eng.), Senior Researcher, JSC «Uralmekhanobr», 620144, Ekaterinburg, Russia, e-mail: efremova_ta@umbr.ru, ORCID ID: 0000-0002-9917-6676,
T.Yu. Ovchinnikova¹, Cand. Sci. (Eng.), Assistant Professor, Assistant Professor, e-mail: tatyana.ovchinnikova@m.ursmu.ru, ORCID ID: 0000-0001-7000-9295,
¹ Ural State Mining University, 620144, Ekaterinburg, Russia.

I.O. Familia, e-mail: tatyana.ovchinnikova@m.ursmu.ru.

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