Scholarly record
DEVELOPMENT AND TESTING OF DOWN-THE-HOLE DEPLOYABLE X-RAY FLUORESCENCE SPECTROMETER
Abstract
To allow a truly in-situ elemental analysis, an Australian resource company commissioned the development and building of a down-the-hole deployable ED-XRF sensor. The instrument was designed to be deployable up to a depth of 30 m for drill holes of varying diameters as well as being run in a bench-top mode. Following the development and upon commissioning, the ED-XRF system was investigated in the laboratory for its suitability for use in the Iron Ore industry by using well characterised crushed iron ore samples, standards made from analytical reagents and large iron ore rocks that had been sectioned to provide a curved surface for presentation to the XRF. The effects of operating conditions and other parameters were studied using the standards made from the analytical reagents. It was found that the system could be used to determine the elemental Fe content with reasonable accuracy when used on crushed powder samples. The curved surfaces of the sectioned rocks increased the variability of the amount of Fe detected. Two trace elements, Al and Si were also investigated using the same methodology. It was found that the ED-XRF system was not suitable for distinguishing the Al and Si . This paper outlines the ED-XRF system used, the testing methodology employed and the results of the laboratory testing.
Publication details
References3
Argyraki A. & Ramsey M. H. & Potts P. J. Evaluation of Portable X-ray Fluorescence Instrumentation for in situ Measurements of Lead on Contaminated Land, The Analyst, vol. 122, pp 743-749, 1997
Gore D. B. & Preston N. J. & Fryirs K. A. Post-rehabilitation environmental hazard of Cu, Zn, As and Pb at the derelict Conrad Mine, Eastern Australia, Environmental Pollution, vol. 148, pp 491-500, 2007.
Frost K. M. Application of Handheld XRF to Nickel Sulphide Exploration, Proceeding 2008 AXAA (WA) Conference - X-rays from Industry to Academia, Western Australia, pp 26, 2008.
View or Download full articleAccess options
SWS access login
Login as SWS Scientific CommitteeLogin as SWS Scientific PartnerLogin as SWS AuthorAuthors and approved SWS contributors will read and export their own linked papers after identity matching by SWS profile, email and SGEM GlobalID.
For librarian assistance: [email protected]
Purchase Instant Access
- Article can be downloaded after successful payment.
- Article may be used according to SWS library access terms.
- Article cannot be redistributed.