MINERAL PROCESSING

SAMPLING
P.Govardhana
Dept of Metallurgical & Materials Engineering
National Institute of Technology Warangal

Sampling
Large bulk scale ores

Chemical and size analysis needed small quantity (portion)

of ore
To select a portion of the bulk material in such a way that it

is representative of that larger amount

This portion known as Sample
This method is known as Sampling

Contd...
Importance of sampling

Ex: Purchase of 100 ton of gold ore carried out based on

15 grams of gold ore sample
Factors effecting selection of proper sample

The physical state of the material

Its moisture content
Presence of material

The value of the material

Sampling rules
Take sample frequently, i.e., a large no of small samples is

much better than a few large samples

Mix thoroughly well before removal of each sample
Crush progressively, i.e., reduce the size of the particle

Types of sampling
Hand sampling and mechanical sampling

Hand sampling
1. Grab sampling
2. Trench/channel sampling

3. Fractional sampling
4. Coning and quartering
5. Pipe sampling

Grab sampling
Least accurate process

Cheapest and rapid

Selecting small portion of material from large quantities of

material in random manner

They are thrown together to form base for final sample
Used for Large piles of ore, Slag dump etc

Trench/channel sampling
Slightly refined process of grab sampling

Material is spread out flat and channelled in one direction

with shovel
Material for sample taken at each regular intervals along

the channel
Repeated of several times until sample of proper size has
been secured

Fractional sampling
Ore shovelled out for rail road car

Every fifth or tenth sample shovel ore can be taken as

sample
Followed for large scale low-grade ores

Coining and Quartering

Oldest technique

sampling of small quantities of ore (50 lbs to several tons)

Repeated for several times
Accuracy can be increased

by crushing in between
repetitions
Should not be used for
accurate sampling

Pipe sampling
Running pipe or grooved bar into the material to be

sampled
Drawing the bar from the sampling material
Material is collected for the sample from the hole or groove
which was present on the bar
Process was repeated for several times
All sampling material is combined to form final sample

Mechanical sampling
Widely used in large scale sampling and tailing processes

Movement of the material is needed

Systematically remove a portion of the stream of material

for a sample
Mechanical sampling devices used near the crushers or
above the moving ore on the machine in order to
continuously take out the sample

Mechanical sampling
Mechanical sampling consists following processes

1. Whistle pipe sampling

2. Bank or combination riffles
3. Vezin sampler

4. Synder sampler
5. Brunton oscillating sampler

Whistle pipe sampling

Whistle pipe sampler consists of vertical iron/steel pipes
Openings are present at half way through the pipe

(horizontally 90 C)
At each stage of openings (splitters) some of material was
rejected and other moves forward
Sample which was remained at final level will be collected
as sample
Weight of the sample is 1/2n2 part of total bed
where n is number of splits

Whistle pipe sampling

The advantages of whistle pipe samplers are

Cheapness of installation
Easy operation
Simplicity

Quick reduction of bulk

No power is needed for operation

Bank or Combination riffles

Made up of combination of five sets of riffles
Each riffle is made up a number of troughs of equal width

separated by cutting edges

Discharge takes place in opposite directions
Material is fed uniform sheet over the first riffle and split into
many streams
First riffles discharge was input for second set of riffles where
these are smaller than first one
These produce four main streams ( 2 collect, 2 reject )
Over third set of riffles 1/8 th of total feed is collected form each
riffles

Bank or Combination riffles

Advantages
Simple operation
used for fine ores
Wear on the dividing edges is not great
Disadvantages
Construction is not simple
Great care is required to ensure what each compartment is of
same width to others
Possibility that during operation dividing edges may become
bent

Vezin sampler
Consists of two hollow truncated coins

Joined to base for one or more

scoops attached to the upper cone

Vezin sampler
Advantages

Ability to take an accurate sample

Simplicity of construction
Easy accessibility for observation and repairs

Disadvantages
Head room requires more
Danger of clogging (preventing movement)

More material is taken from sides of the stream than center

Brunton Oscillating sampler

Consists of hopper which receives ore and discharges

through vertical chute

Two reject deflecting surfaces and sample deflecting
surface were present these are separated by cutting edges
Sample and reject are discharges in opposite directions
Speed 72 oscillations per min

Brunton Oscillating sampler

Advantages

Requires little head room

Easily accessible for examination and repair
Quickly cleaned

Disadvantages
The material more form the sides of the stream than it

does from the center

Sampling techniques

Errors in sampling
The major source of errors or all hand sampling

operations is personal and many of the discrepancies

found in samples cut by hand are due to
Carelessness
Ignorance
Dishonest of the operator

 In mechanical sampling personal equation is largely

eliminated and completely ignored

Design of mechanical operations in good condition will
gives accurate sample
Some problems may arises because of
Cutter edges are bent
In chutes ore is partially blocked
Ore hangs up at any point in the sampling system

Thank You