Spectral Tomography for 3D Element Detection and Mineral Analysis

• Published in: Minerals (Basel) Vol. 11; no. 6; p. 598
• Main Authors: Jose R. A. Godinho, Gabriel Westaway-Heaven, Marijn A. Boone, Axel D. Renno
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 01-06-2021
• Subjects: 3D mineral classification; computed tomography; minerals engineering; sp-CT; spectral tomography; X-ray imaging
• ISSN: 2075-163X
• DOI: 10.3390/min11060598

This paper demonstrates the potential of a new 3D imaging technique, Spectral Computed Tomography (sp-CT), to identify heavy elements inside materials, which can be used to classify mineral phases. The method combines the total X-ray transmission measured by a normal polychromatic X-ray detector, and the transmitted X-ray energy spectrum measured by a detector that discriminates between X-rays with energies of about 1.1 keV resolution. An analysis of the energy spectrum allows to identify sudden changes of transmission at K-edge energies that are specific of each element. The additional information about the elements in a phase improves the classification of mineral phases from grey-scale 3D images that would be otherwise difficult due to artefacts or the lack of contrast between phases. The ability to identify the elements inside the minerals that compose ore particles and rocks is crucial to broaden the application of 3D imaging in Earth sciences research and mineral process engineering, which will represent an important complement to traditional 2D imaging mineral characterization methods. In this paper, the first applications of sp-CT to classify mineral phases are showcased and the limitations and further developments are discussed.