Patent ID: 8752709
Filing Date: 2014-06-17
Classification: B03B,B07C,G01N

Abstract:
1. A method of sorting mined material to separate the mined material into at least two categories, with at least one category containing particles of mined material that are more susceptible to microwave energy, and with at least one other category containing particles of mined material that are less susceptible to microwave energy, the method comprising the steps of: (a) compensating for temperature variations in the mined material comprising preheating the feed material to a given background temperature; (b) exposing particles of the mined material from step (a) to microwave energy and heating the particles depending on the susceptibility of the material in the particles; (c) thermally analysing the particles from step (b) using the temperatures of the particles as a basis for the analysis to indicate composition differences between particles; and (d) sorting the particles on the basis of the results of the thermal analysis of step (c).