The Grain Size Distribution of Blasted Rock

Abstract

The determination of the grain size distribution of blasted rock exceeds the capability of an analytical sieving machine which only gives reliable results within a range of 63 μm to 125 mm. Other sophisticated methods are often not available for particle size measurement in coarse-grained applications in medium scale mining. Therefore, an alternative low cost method to investigate the grain sizes of blasted rock is introduced which can cover a range from 63 μm at the lower end without an upper limit. Three different options to examine blasted dolomite grains are investigated and combined with sieve analysis to determine a complete sieving equivalent grain size distribution. Comparison with results of a technical sieving shows that this method gives a good approximation of the size distribution, improving the possibilities for design of mineral processing equipment.