Ga. Norton et al., FEASIBILITY OF USING X-RAY-DIFFRACTION FOR ONLINE ANALYSIS OF GYPSUM DURING WALL BOARD MANUFACTURING, Minerals engineering, 8(9), 1995, pp. 1069-1074
Citations number
NO
Categorie Soggetti
Engineering, Chemical","Mining & Mineral Processing",Mineralogy
A preliminary study was conducted to determine the feasibility of deve
loping an on-line x-ray diffraction (XRD) monitor to determine gypsum
during wall board manufacturing. Samples of bassanite (CaSO4 . 1/2H(2)
O) containing 0, 1, 3, and 5% gypsum (CaSO4 . 2H(2)O) were analyzed in
the laboratory using an experimental on-line XRD monitor and a conven
tional x-ray diffractometer. Results of this study indicate that the d
evelopment of a gypsum monitor is technically feasible. When sample pa
cking was used, gypsum was detected in all of the samples containing a
dded gypsum and the sensitivity was adequate to differentiate between
each of the gypsum concentrations. Without sample packing, 1% gypsum c
ould not be detected under the analytical conditions employed. The pre
cision was reasonably good for these exploratory tests, with relative
standard deviations ranging from 10-30%. Precision can probably be imp
roved through instrument modifications. Once developed an on-line gyps
um monitor is anticipated to cost on the order of $75,000.