Mineral liberation analysis (MLA)

About this technique

---

Mineral liberation analysis (MLA) is an automated mineral analysis system based on a scanning electron microscope. Four EDS detectors are used simultaneously to rapidly determine the mineral phases in a polished section of rock. Sophisticated software differentiates the mineral from the mounting resin so that analysis time is devoted only to the rock itself. The results are visually presented in colour-coded mineral maps, which are readily interpreted by mineralogists and process metallurgists.

With four EDS detectors, instruments can analyse up to 200 points per second, making them a serious tool for improving productivity in the analysis of rocks in geoscience research and the mining industry. Theycan resolve down to around 3 µm within polished samples. Associated software can analyse the results in numerous ways, listing grain size, minerals, and so forth.

The system needs to be set up for an individual type of sample and the correct type of files for comparison must be available in the software system.