WO2014056019A1

WO2014056019A1 - Mining and mineral processing tracers with radio-frequency identification

Info

Publication number: WO2014056019A1
Application number: PCT/AU2013/001112
Authority: WO
Inventors: Christopher John Wood
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2012-10-09
Filing date: 2013-09-27
Publication date: 2014-04-17
Anticipated expiration: 2015-04-09
Also published as: AU2013330201B2; AU2013330201A1

Description

MINING AND MINERAL PROCESSING TRACERS WITH RADIO-FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention generally relates to mining and mineral processing tracers including density tracers, marker tracers, ore tracking tracers, and spiking tracers.

BACKGROUND

[0002] The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that the prior art forms part of the common general knowledge.

[0003] Turning to Figure 1 , a mining separator 100 receives supplied raw mining material 102 and separates useful material (e.g. coal) 104 from other waste material 106 using a known separation process. Colored visual density tracers, which are in essence blocks of known densities, may be added to the raw material 102. Visual auditing of the density tracers in the separated material 104 was conducted to generate density information including a density tracer partition curve 200 shown in Figure 2. In turn, the density information is used by an operator as a guide to adjustment of the separation process of the separator 100. Other streams from the separator, such as 106 may be similarly monitored and typically there may be up to four streams monitored.

[0004] In more recent times, the density tracers have been fitted with electronic transponders. Further, an antenna 108 is erected adjacent the path of the separated material 104 to assist in compiling the density information. The material 104 is typically transported on a conveyor 110, vibrating screens or in chutes. In practice, the antenna 108 is cumbersome and time consuming to install. Further, the antenna 108 may need to be located in close proximity to the material 104 so as to improve the likelihood of reading the density tracers buried deep in the separated material 104. However, the Applicant has noticed that the antenna 108 can restrict flow of the material and can be swept away in the event of a surge of material 104. [0005] The preferred embodiment provides improved electronic density tracer sensing techniques.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mining or mineral processing system antenna for detecting electronic tracers, the antenna including:

a support for being deflected upon impact by mining or mineral material bearing the tracers, the support supporting a conductor for conducting received signals from the tracers.

[0007] Advantageously, the support may be located close to the material to facilitate tracer detection and deflected by a surge of material without damage or the need for re- calibration. Preferably, after deflection, the support returns to its original configuration.

[0008] The conductor may be in the form of a coil. The coil may include multiple turns of an integrally formed single conductor wire. Alternatively, the coil may include a multi-conductor cable with serial connection of conductors. Preferably the coil has one or more cross-overs to form multiple loops to reduce signal interference from radio- frequency noise.

[0009] The support may include a curtain. The curtain may be rectangular and include hanging means to facilitate hanging along an upper edge. The fastening means may include eyelets.

[00010] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an mining or mineral antenna for detecting electronic tracers, the antenna including:

a curtain support for supporting a conductor, in turn, for conducting received signals from the tracers.

[00011] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for installing a mining or mineral processing system antenna for detecting electronic tracers, the method including: hanging a support for being deflected upon impact by mining or mineral material bearing the tracers, the support bearing a conductor for conducting received signals from the tracers.

[00012] Advantageously, the support of the preferred embodiment may be readily hung in place during installation, and removed after use.

[00013] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a tracer for mining or mineral material, the tracer including:

a body; and

a transmitter aligned along a maximum line within the body.

[00014] Advantageously, placing the transmitter along the maximum line allows smaller body to be used for a given transmitter size.

[00015] The body may be a polyhedron. The polyhedron may be a cube. The maximum line may be a diagonal. The diagonal may be a space diagonal.

[00016] The tracer may include a radio frequency identification (RFID) transponder including the transmitter. The transponder may be elongate and include an exposed wound antenna at one end. The tracer may be a density tracer. Advantageously, the exposed antenna reduces the displacement of body material which would otherwise occur if a cover was provided, thereby resulting in a density tracer which more accurately represents density.

[00017] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mining or mineral processing system monitoring system for monitoring electronic tracers, the system including:

a path along which mining or mineral material bearing the tracers travels; and the antenna located adjacent the path.

[00018] The system may include any one or more of a pipe, a chute, a conveyor and a vibrating screen defining the path along which the material passes. The system may further include a reader for reading the received signals and/or a recording device for recording data from the tracers [00019] The system may further include a separator for separating the material bearing the tracers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[00020] Preferred features, embodiments and variations of the invention may be discerned from the following Detailed Description which provides sufficient information for those skilled in the art to perform the invention. The Detailed Description is not to be regarded as limiting the scope of the preceding Summary of the Invention in any way. The Detailed Description will make reference to a number of drawings as follows:

[00021] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a known separator;

[00022] Figure 2 is a density information audit sheet including a density tracer partition curve;

[00023] Figure 3 is a schematic view of a monitoring system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[00024] Figure 4 is a rear view of an antenna of the monitoring system of Figure 3; and

[00025] Figure 5 is a schematic drawing of a density tracer used in the monitoring system of Figure 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[00026] According to an embodiment of the invention, there is provided an antenna system 300 shown in Figure 3 and associated electronics to detect electronic density tracers (see Figure 5) within a stream of useful material 104 or waste 106 (Figure 1) which has been discharged from a separator 100 onto a material transporter 110 (e.g. conveyor or screen). An expansive antenna 302 is hung at the end of the conveyor or screen 110 for detecting electronic density tracers in the mining or mineral material 104 as it moves along or falls from the transporter 110. The antenna 302 includes a deflectable support in the form of a curtain 304 which deflects upon impact by material 104 bearing the tracers. After deflection, the curtain 304 returns to its original configuration.

[00027] Turning to Figure 4, the curtain 304 supports a conductor in the form of a multi-core cable, with respective conductors serially interconnected to form a coil 400 for conducting received electrical radio signals from the tracers. The curtain 304 can be located near or in contact with the material 104 to facilitate tracer detection.

Advantageously, the curtain 304 is simply deflected by any surge of material 104 without damage or the need for re-calibration. The curtain 304 may be readily hung in place during installation, and removed after use.

[00028] As can best be seen in Figure 4, the antenna coil 400 is threaded through sleeves 405 mounted to the curtain 304. The coil 400 is configured, in this embodiment, to define three loops 402a, 402b, 402c with two cross-overs 404a, 404b. The

instantaneous current in the larger middle loop 402b is in an anticlockwise direction whereas the instantaneous current in the end loops 402a, 402c is in a clockwise direction (see arrows in Fig. 4). The loops 402a, 402b, 402c provide significant noise reduction when compared with a single loop. The system 300 further includes a reader 406 for reading the received signals in the coil 400 and a recording device for recording data from the electronic density tracers. The reader 406 automatically collects the density information required for the density tracer partition curve 200 of Figure 2.

[00029] The curtain 304 is rectangular and includes hanging means in the form of eyelets 408 to facilitate hanging along an upper edge

[00030] A density tracer 500 carried by the separated material 104, and directed by the separator 100 to one of its streams, is shown in Figure 5. The density tracer 500 includes a cube body 502 of known density. An elongate radio frequency identification (RFID) transponder 504, including a transmitter, extends along a space diagonal of the cube body 502. Advantageously, placing the transponder 504 along the diagonal allows smaller blocks to be used for a given transponder size. The transponder 504 includes an exposed wound coil antenna 506 at one end. Advantageously, the exposed antenna 506 reduces the displacement of body material which would otherwise occur if a cover encapsulated the antenna 506, thereby resulting in a density tracer 500 which more accurately represents the desired density. [00031] A person skilled in the art will appreciate that many embodiments and variations can be made without departing from the ambit of the present invention.

[00032] The preferred embodiment included a support in the form of a compliant curtain 304 for being deflected upon impact with material. In another embodiment, the support may be a rigid panel which can be deflected about a pivot.

[00033] In one embodiment, the coil includes multiple turns of an integrally formed single conductor wire.

[00034] In one embodiment, the material transporter 110 includes a pipe or chute defining a path along which the material 104 passes.

[00035] In one embodiment, the curtain 304 is stiff.

[00036] In compliance with the statute, the invention has been described in language more or less specific to structural or methodical features. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to specific features shown or described since the means herein described comprises preferred forms of putting the invention into effect.

Claims

The claims defining the invention are as follows:

1. A mining or mineral processing system antenna for detecting electronic tracers, the antenna including:

2. An antenna as claimed in claim 1, wherein, after deflection, the support returns to its original configuration.

3. An antenna as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the conductor is in the form of a coil.

4. An antenna as claimed in claim 3, wherein the coil, includes multiple turns of an integrally formed single conductor wire.

5. An antenna as claimed in claim 3, wherein the coil has one or more cross-overs to form multiple loops to reduce signal interference from radio-frequency noise.

6. An antenna as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the support can be deflected about a pivot.

7. An antenna as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the support includes a curtain.

8. An antenna as claimed in claim 7, wherein the curtain is stiff.

9. An antenna as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the support includes a hanger to facilitate hanging along an upper edge.

10. An antenna as claimed in claim 9, wherein the hanger includes eyelets.

11. A mining or mineral antenna for detecting electronic tracers, the antenna including:

12. A mining or mineral processing system monitoring system for monitoring electronic tracers, the system including:

a path along which mining or mineral material bearing the tracers travels; and an antenna as claimed in claim 1 located adjacent the path.

13. A system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein, the system includes any one or more of a pipe, a chute, a conveyor and a vibrating screen defining the path along which the material passes.

14. A system as claimed in claim 12, further including a reader for reading the received signals and/or a recording device for recording data from the tracers 5. A system as claimed in claim 12, further including a separator for separating the material bearing the tracers.

16. A method for installing a mining or mineral processing system antenna for detecting electronic tracers, the method including:

hanging a support for being deflected upon impact by mining or mineral material bearing the tracers, the support bearing a conductor for conducting received signals from the tracers.

17. A method as claimed in claim 16, further including the step of removing the support after use.

18. A tracer for mining or mineral material, the tracer including:

a body; and

a transmitter aligned along a maximum line within the body.

19. A tracer as claimed in claim 18, wherein the body is a cube and the maximum line is a diagonal.

20. A tracer as claimed in claim 18, including a radio frequency identification (RFID) transponder including the transmitter.

21. A tracer as claimed in claim 20, wherein the transponder is elongate and includes an exposed wound antenna at one end.