Selective fragmentation
The SelFrag -equipment uses short-duration high voltage pulses for selective fragmentation of geological samples and composite materials. Ideally, this method results in clean liberated mineral components without causing them any damage, and keeping them in the exact state that they were in within the rock. These can then be used in research.
This method allows for fragmenting aggregate materials, such as concrete or electronic waste, into components. The fragmentation travels along the borders of the different components in each sample. GTK has developed applications for processing isotope geological and ore samples (chromite ore, gold and PGE) and for studying slag, for example. After the ore are fragmented, they are processed as usual, for example for process minerology analysis.
GTK has successfully tested the following processes:
- Liberating magmatic and metamorphic rock for isotope geological research (zircon, baddeleyite,
feldspars, apatite etc.). - Processing indicator minerals and diamonds present in kimberlite
- Measuring the grain size distribution of chromite in chromite ores
- Liberating gangue from talc ore
- Liberating biotite from a granitoid sample
- Fragmenting concrete samples
