Selecting laboratory sampling equipment for minerals, metallurgy, and chemical analysis depends on a few important factors. Here’s a basic guide:
1. Type of Material
Mineral ores (hard rocks, fine powders, sands)
Metallurgical products (concentrates, slags, alloys)
Chemicals (powders, liquids, pastes)
Different materials need different sampling tools (Lab Jaw crushers, Lab roller crusher.Vibratory cup mill ,Sample splitters like riffle sample divider,Rotary sample splitters, , etc.).
2. Particle Size
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Coarse samples: You might need jaw crushers, rotary samplers, or riffle splitters.
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Fine samples: You might need rotary sample dividers, micro splitters, or special spatulas.
Coarse samples: You might need jaw crushers, rotary samplers, or riffle splitters.
Fine samples: You might need rotary sample dividers, micro splitters, or special spatulas.
Rule: Sampling equipment must not change the size or contaminate the sample.
3. Amount Needed (Sample Mass)
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How much material is needed for analysis? (grams, kilograms?)
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Larger samples need larger splitters; smaller, precise work (like chemical analysis) needs micro-samplers.
4. Accuracy and Precision Requirements
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High precision (for chemical assays like gold, rare earths) → Use automatic rotary splitters, coning and quartering, or scoop samplers.
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Rough sampling (for bulk minerals) → Riffle splitters or grab samplers may be enough.
5. Moisture Content
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Wet samples (slurries, wet ores) need special equipment like slurry splitters or vacuum samplers.
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Dry samples can use dry splitters or mechanical dividers.
6. Contamination Sensitivity
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For chemical analysis (especially trace elements), the sampler material must be inert (like stainless steel, Teflon, or ceramic).
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Avoid tools that shed particles or corrode (like iron tools for acidic samples).
7. Typical Equipment Options
| Equipment | Best For | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Riffle Splitter | Dry, coarse minerals | Simple, manual splitting |
| Rotary Sample Divider | Fine powders, precision work | Best for chemical analysis |
| Cone and Quartering | Coarse and fine | Traditional manual method |
| Slurry Sampler | Wet samples | Needed for metallurgical slurries |
| Vacuum Sampler | Powders | No contamination, good for trace analysis |
| Auger Sampler | Bulk solids | Used for large stockpiles |
| Pipette Sampler | Liquids | For chemical analysis of solutions |