Real-time analysis of particle size distribution of rocks using a domestic software and hardware complex

Economic performance of all the major technological processes in mining of mineral deposits is significantly affected by the particle size distribution of the rock mass. Particle size distribution of the muck pile, which is termed as “fragmentation” in foreign literature, determines the efficiency and productivity of technological processes of mining. It is known that when blasted the rocks form a number of lumps of various shapes and sizes, and a variety of characteristics have been proposed to assess them. The proposed characteristics of the rock mass as a statistical system can be divided into two classes. The first class includes characteristics that define individual properties of individual lumps, while the second class comprises characteristics that describe the integral properties of the system. Measurement of the particle size distribution of large volumes of rocks in the muck pile poses a serious challenge. This paper discusses general issues in analysing fragmentation in terms of reliability and promptness of assessment, as well as the available methods used to evaluate the blast results. Results are presented on recognition of the rock fragments using digital methods, and the importance of accurate determination of the lump size in image analysis is identified.