High-resolution dielectric characterization of minerals: a step towards understanding the basic interactions between microwaves and rocks

Microwave energy was demonstrated to be potentially beneficial for reducing the cost of several steps of the mining process. Significant literature was developed about this topic but few studies are focused on understanding the interaction between microwaves and minerals at a fundamental level in or...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Monti, Tamara, Tselev, Alexander, Ofonime, Udoudo, Ivanov, Ilia N., Dodds, Chris, Kingman, S.W.
Format: Article
Published: Elsevier 2016
Subjects:
Online Access:https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/32973/
_version_ 1848794531589259264
author Monti, Tamara
Tselev, Alexander
Ofonime, Udoudo
Ivanov, Ilia N.
Dodds, Chris
Kingman, S.W.
author_facet Monti, Tamara
Tselev, Alexander
Ofonime, Udoudo
Ivanov, Ilia N.
Dodds, Chris
Kingman, S.W.
author_sort Monti, Tamara
building Nottingham Research Data Repository
collection Online Access
description Microwave energy was demonstrated to be potentially beneficial for reducing the cost of several steps of the mining process. Significant literature was developed about this topic but few studies are focused on understanding the interaction between microwaves and minerals at a fundamental level in order to elucidate the underlying physical processes that control the observed phenomena. This is ascribed to the complexity of such phenomena, related to chemical and physical transformations, where electrical, thermal and mechanical forces play concurrent roles. In this work a new characterization method for the dielectric properties of mineral samples at microwave frequencies is presented. The method is based upon the scanning microwave microscopy technique that enables measurement of the dielectric constant, loss factor and conductivity with extremely high spatial resolution and accuracy. As opposed to conventional dielectric techniques, the scanning microwave microscope can then access and measure the dielectric properties of micrometric-sized mineral inclusions within a complex structure of natural rock. In this work two micrometric hematite inclusions were characterized at a microwave frequency of 3 GHz. Scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy and confocal micro-Raman spectroscopy were used to determine the structural details and chemical and elemental composition of mineral sample on similar scale.
first_indexed 2025-11-14T19:17:41Z
format Article
id nottingham-32973
institution University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus
institution_category Local University
last_indexed 2025-11-14T19:17:41Z
publishDate 2016
publisher Elsevier
recordtype eprints
repository_type Digital Repository
spelling nottingham-329732020-05-04T17:57:07Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/32973/ High-resolution dielectric characterization of minerals: a step towards understanding the basic interactions between microwaves and rocks Monti, Tamara Tselev, Alexander Ofonime, Udoudo Ivanov, Ilia N. Dodds, Chris Kingman, S.W. Microwave energy was demonstrated to be potentially beneficial for reducing the cost of several steps of the mining process. Significant literature was developed about this topic but few studies are focused on understanding the interaction between microwaves and minerals at a fundamental level in order to elucidate the underlying physical processes that control the observed phenomena. This is ascribed to the complexity of such phenomena, related to chemical and physical transformations, where electrical, thermal and mechanical forces play concurrent roles. In this work a new characterization method for the dielectric properties of mineral samples at microwave frequencies is presented. The method is based upon the scanning microwave microscopy technique that enables measurement of the dielectric constant, loss factor and conductivity with extremely high spatial resolution and accuracy. As opposed to conventional dielectric techniques, the scanning microwave microscope can then access and measure the dielectric properties of micrometric-sized mineral inclusions within a complex structure of natural rock. In this work two micrometric hematite inclusions were characterized at a microwave frequency of 3 GHz. Scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy and confocal micro-Raman spectroscopy were used to determine the structural details and chemical and elemental composition of mineral sample on similar scale. Elsevier 2016-06-10 Article PeerReviewed Monti, Tamara, Tselev, Alexander, Ofonime, Udoudo, Ivanov, Ilia N., Dodds, Chris and Kingman, S.W. (2016) High-resolution dielectric characterization of minerals: a step towards understanding the basic interactions between microwaves and rocks. International Journal of Mineral Processing, 151 . pp. 8-21. ISSN 0301-7516 Scanning microwave microscope; Dielectric properties; Raman spectra; SEM-EDX; Minerals; Hematite http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301751616300497 doi:10.1016/j.minpro.2016.04.003 doi:10.1016/j.minpro.2016.04.003
spellingShingle Scanning microwave microscope; Dielectric properties; Raman spectra; SEM-EDX; Minerals; Hematite
Monti, Tamara
Tselev, Alexander
Ofonime, Udoudo
Ivanov, Ilia N.
Dodds, Chris
Kingman, S.W.
High-resolution dielectric characterization of minerals: a step towards understanding the basic interactions between microwaves and rocks
title High-resolution dielectric characterization of minerals: a step towards understanding the basic interactions between microwaves and rocks
title_full High-resolution dielectric characterization of minerals: a step towards understanding the basic interactions between microwaves and rocks
title_fullStr High-resolution dielectric characterization of minerals: a step towards understanding the basic interactions between microwaves and rocks
title_full_unstemmed High-resolution dielectric characterization of minerals: a step towards understanding the basic interactions between microwaves and rocks
title_short High-resolution dielectric characterization of minerals: a step towards understanding the basic interactions between microwaves and rocks
title_sort high-resolution dielectric characterization of minerals: a step towards understanding the basic interactions between microwaves and rocks
topic Scanning microwave microscope; Dielectric properties; Raman spectra; SEM-EDX; Minerals; Hematite
url https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/32973/
https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/32973/
https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/32973/