Rock analysis apparatus and method

1. A method for the analysis of a rock fragment including:

feeding the rock fragment to a microwave irradiation zone of microwave energy generated by a microwave source;

gauging energy absorbed by the rock fragment by measuring the degree of coupling to the microwave source; and

correlating rate of change of the gauged energy absorbed by the rock fragment with compositional characteristics of the rock fragment,

wherein the energy absorbed by the rock fragment is gauged by at least one sensor located on a microwave source side of the microwave irradiation zone;

wherein said at least one sensor is constituted by an electrical circuit including a meter that is monitored by a fast analogue to digital converter;

wherein said at least one sensor is synchronized with frequency peaks of the microwave source.

2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the rock fragment is fed to the microwave irradiation zone by a conveyer and allowed to drop through the microwave irradiation zone under the action of gravity.

3. A method according to claim 2 , wherein a plurality of rock fragments are fed to the microwave irradiation zone in a fragment feed channel.

4. A method according to claim 2 , wherein a plurality of rock fragments are fed to the microwave irradiation zone in a plurality of discrete fragment feed channels.

5. A method according to claim 1 , including gauging the intensity of microwave energy on a non-microwave source side of the microwave irradiation zone, after the microwave energy has passed through the rock fragment.

6. A method according to claim 1 , including gauging the size of the rock fragment and the time period for which the rock fragment is in the microwave irradiation zone.

7. A method according to claim 6 , wherein the size and time period are gauged by means of a visible light camera.

8. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the correlation of rate of change of the gauged energy absorbed by the rock fragment is conducted using a data processing unit.

9. A method according to claim 1 , wherein after the correlation of rate of change of the gauged energy absorbed by the rock fragment with compositional characteristics of the rock fragment, the rock fragment is directed for downstream processing or is discarded.

10. A method according to claim 9 , wherein the rock fragment is directed for downstream processing or is discarded using a high pressure air separator.

11. A rock fragment analysis assembly including:

a microwave energy source that generates a microwave irradiation zone;

a rock fragment feed that facilitates the feeding of rock fragments into the microwave irradiation zone;

at least one primary sensor located on a microwave energy source side of the microwave irradiation zone for gauging microwave energy absorbed by the rock fragments in the microwave irradiation zone by measuring the degree of coupling to the microwave energy source;

wherein said at least one primary sensor is constituted by an electrical circuit including a meter that is monitored by a fast analogue to digital converter;

wherein said at least one primary sensor is synchronized with frequency peaks of the microwave source; and

a processing unit for correlating rate of change of the gauged energy absorbed by the rock fragments with compositional characteristics of the rock fragments.

12. An assembly according to claim 11 , wherein the microwave energy source includes an excitation source, a microwave generating cavity and a wave guide for generating the microwave irradiation zone.

13. An assembly according to claim 11 , wherein the rock fragment feed includes a conveyer including a drive and a belt orientated to feed the rock fragments to a position directly above the microwave irradiation zone such that the rock fragments drop through the microwave irradiation zone under the action of gravity when the rock fragments leave the conveyer.

14. An assembly according to claim 11 , wherein the processing unit includes a computer unit including a library for correlating rate of change of the gauged energy absorbed by the rock fragments with compositional characteristics of the rock fragments.

15. An assembly according to claim 11 , including a secondary sensor located on a non-microwave energy source side of the microwave irradiation zone for gauging the intensity of microwave energy after the microwave energy has passed through the rock fragment.

16. An assembly according to claim 15 , including a tertiary sensor for gauging the size of the rock fragment and the time period for which the rock fragment is in the microwave irradiation zone.

17. An assembly according to claim 16 , wherein the tertiary sensor is a visible light camera.

18. An assembly according to claim 11 , including a separator for separating rock fragments for downstream processing or for discarding.

19. An assembly according to claim 18 , wherein the separator is a high pressure air separator.