Abstract
The incomplete Beta function was tested as a stochastic model to describe the compositional distribution of the particles obtained by grinding a real ore. A feldspatic rock, composed mainly of quartz, albite and microcline, was used. Polished sections were prepared from both unground samples and sized fractions of the ground material. The sections were measured by image analysis to determine the mineral quantities and the mineral distributions in the particles of the different size fractions. The composition distributions were used to test and validate the model. Statistical analysis was done to evaluate the differences between the measured and the theoretical composition distributions, generated by the incomplete Beta function. For most fractions, the model did not pass the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test of adherence at a level of 0˙05. At levels of 0˙01 and 0˙001 the adherence extended to a greater number of fractions.
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