Numerical verification of a non-preferential-breakage liberation model

A model is presented that allows the liberation distribution of particles r esulting from comminution to be estimated using the texture of the original ore. The model, which assumes non-preferential breakage, is based on stere ology and therefore requires the texture to be defined in either one or two dimensions. The problem is solved by separating it into two tasks. The fir st task is to obtain a representation of the planar or linear intercepts th at would be obtained if the ore was broken and a set of similarly-sized chi ld particles was sectioned. This is done by using the intercept distributio n of previously-broken similarly-sized particles to create a mask. The mask is applied to the texture to simulate the creation of the new intercepts. The second task is to estimate the liberation distribution using the interc epts. This problem is solved by using a stereological correction. The model has been verified by numerical simulation. A Boolean ore with spheres as p rimary grains was simulated in three dimensions. This ore was intersected w ith similarly-sized spheres to simulate breakage into spheres. The liberati on distribution of these spheres provides the actual liberation distributio n. The liberation distribution was also estimated, for both planar and line ar intercepts, by using the masking method and a stereological correction. The accuracy of the model for the planar intercepts was found to be very go od. For the linear intercepts, the accuracy of the model was not as good, n evertheless it provided a much better estimate than using the uncorrected l iberation distribution for linear intercepts. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V . All rights reserved.