Method for separating mineral impurities from calcium carbonate-containing rocks by X-ray sorting

1. A method for separating mineral impurities from calcium carbonate-containing rocks comprising the steps of:

(a) comminuting and classifying calcium carbonate-containing rocks to obtain calcium carbonate particles having a particle size in the range of from 1 mm to 250 mm; and

(b) introducing the calcium carbonate particles into an x-ray sorting device to remove mineral impurities from the calcium carbonate particles; wherein the x-ray sorting device comprises a means for transporting the calcium carbonate particles through the device, an x-ray source that emits radiation through at least two filter devices at different energy spectra to a flow of the calcium carbonate particles; at least one sensor means that measures two different x-ray outputs from the flow of the calcium carbonate particles at a detection area, a computer-controlled evaluating means that evaluates sensor signals resulting from the x-ray outputs at the detection area; and a separation means downstream of the detection area, that separates mineral impurities from the calcium carbonate particles.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the transporter means is a conveyor belt sorter or a chute gravity sorter.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a sensor line corresponding to a width of the particle flow is formed by the at least one sensor means that comprises linearly disposed detector means.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the detector means comprise photodiode arrays equipped with a scintillator for converting x-radiation into visible light.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least two filters are metal foils through which the X-radiation of mutually different energy levels is transmitted.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least two filters are positioned below the particle flow and upstream of the at least one sensor means, and an X-ray tube producing a brems spectrum is positioned above the particle flow.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a sensor line is provided for each of the at least two filters.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least two filters include a plurality of filters for using with a plurality of energy levels.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the computer-controlled evaluating means determines a Z-classification, a standardization of image areas and an atomic density class based on the sensor signals.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the mineral impurities are separated using the separation means based on detected average transmission in different X-ray energy spectra captured by the at least two sensor lines, and density information obtained by Z-standardization.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the calcium carbonate-containing rocks comprise limestone, chalk, marble, or dolomite.

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the mineral impurities comprise dolomite, silica, flint, quartz, feldspars, an amphibolite, a mica schist, and/or pegmatite.

13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the calcium carbonate-containing rocks are comminuted in step (a) to a particle size in the range of from 5 mm to 120 mm.

14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the calcium carbonate-containing rocks are comminuted in step (a) to a particle size in the range of from 10 mm to 100 mm.

15. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the calcium carbonate-containing rocks are comminuted in step (a) to a particle size in the range of from 20 mm to 80 mm.

16. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the calcium carbonate-containing rocks are comminuted in step (a) to a particle size in the range of from 35 mm to 70 mm.

17. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the calcium carbonate-containing rocks are comminuted in step (a) to a particle size in the range of from 40 mm to 60 mm.

18. The method according to claim 1 , wherein one or several different size fractions of the comminuted particles from step (a) are each subjected to a different step (b).

19. The method according to claim 18 , wherein each fraction has particles at minimum/maximum particle size ratio of 1 :4.

20. The method according to claim 18 , wherein each fraction has particles at minimum/maximum particle size ratio of 1 :3.

21. The method according to claim 18 , wherein each fraction has particles at minimum/maximum particle size ratio of 1 :2.

22. The method according to claim 18 , wherein a fraction introduced in step (b) has a particle size in a range of from 10-30 mm.

23. The method according to claim 18 , wherein a fraction introduced in step (b) has a particle size in a range of from 30-70 mm.

24. The method according to claim 18 , wherein a fraction introduced in step (b) has a particle size in a range of from 60-120 mm.

25. The method according to claim 1 , which further comprises introducing the calcium carbonate particles resulting from step (b) to a comminution step (c).

26. The method according to claim 24 , wherein subsequent to the comminution step (c), the calcium carbonate particles are subjected to a classification step (d).