Abstract
Single-step trans-vertical moulds have been shown to increase the throughput of automated mineralogy systems. Owing to the small particle size of iron ore grains in the −200 mesh size fraction (<75 µm), not all of the surface area on a mould is needed for measurement in achieving good statistical representation. Trimming the excess area of a mould results in superfluous material being removed, leaving only the necessary analyte. This allows maximum packing in the sample chamber and promotes efficiency by increasing the quantity of samples that can fit in a newly designed trans-vertical adapter for an FEI MLA™ 650 field emission gun SEM. The analysis was completed using a newly designed sample block holder capable of holding 98 samples. This study represents the most expedient method yet reported to prepare well-polished samples and analyse them in a timely manner that can allow for quicker results in process mineralogy.
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