Conceiving a high resolution and fast X-ray CT system for imaging fine multi-phase mineral particles and retrieving mineral liberation spectra

Mineral liberation studies on fine particulate systems require high resolution and fast examination of a (statistically) significant number of particles. Commercial X-ray computed tomography systems allow high resolution on very small samples (say few micrometers on single particles) and only limited resolution on large particulate samples: thus they are unsuitable for fine particle liberation studies. A computed tomography system was conceived that is capable of high resolution (say micrometric or sub-micrometric) and allows imaging at once a large number of particles. It uses a detector design with a fiber optic bundle that allows enlarging the Field of View of a standard high resolution CCD in one direction. The thin particle multi-layer in a straw offers low X-ray attenuation and permits scanning with low current and voltages that in turn allows keeping small the size of X-ray focal spot and the induced geometrical un-sharpness of the projected particles