Normal sampling and analysis of raw materials being processed is done in order to obtain the necessary information for economic evaluation of ore and concentrate for mineral processing. In addition, modern plants have fully automated control systems that perform in-stream analysis of materials during processing and make adjustments at each stage to produce the richest possible concentrate at the lowest operating cost.

sampling Sampling means taking a part of certain materials for analysis. This process is done by hand or machine. Manual sampling is usually expensive, slow, and inaccurate, so that it is usually only used where the material is unsuitable for mechanical sampling (eg, slimy ore) or where machinery is either unavailable or too expensive to install. Many different sampling devices are available today, including shovels, tube samplers, and automatic samplers. For these sampling machines to provide an accurate representation of the entire lot, the amount of a sample, the total number of samples, and the type of samples taken are of decisive importance. Chemical analysis and analysis Even before the 16th century, comprehensive schemes of assaying (measurement of value) of ores were known, using methods not materially different from those used in modern times. Although conventional methods of chemical analysis are used today to identify and estimate the amounts of elements in minerals and ores, these methods are slow and not accurate enough, especially at low concentrations. As a result, sophisticated analytical tools are used to achieve greater efficiency. In mineral processing spectroscopy, an electrical discharge is created between a pair of electrodes, one of which is made of the material being analyzed. The electric discharge vaporizes part of the sample and will excite the elements in the sample to emit characteristic spectra. Detecting and measuring the wavelength and intensity of emission spectra shows the identity and concentration of the elements in the sample. In X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, a sample bombarded with X-rays emits fluorescent X-rays at wavelengths characteristic of its elements. The amount of X-ray emitted is related to the concentration of individual elements in the sample. The sensitivity and accuracy of this method is weak for elements with low atomic number (low protons in the nucleus such as boron and beryllium), but it is suitable for slags, ores, sinters and pellets.

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