Mineral conductivity measurements

• The RF electrical conductivities of selected sulphides and magnetite were measured.
• Measurements were performed between 100 kHz and 10 MHz with guarded and unguarded electrodes.
• Average conductivities for the minerals measured lie between approx. 3 and 30 S/m.

Unlike insulating minerals, such as quartz or feldspar, the propensity of conductive minerals to heat using radiofrequency energy has not been particularly well quantified or documented in scholarly literature. A detailed knowledge of the RF properties of all minerals is required for RF energy to be effectively used in many potential applications. Electrical conductivity measurements were performed on selected sulphide minerals and magnetite between 100 kHz and 10 MHz using thin-film electrodes. However, reproducible measurements are challenging due both the high conductivity and semiconducting nature of the minerals. These measurements show variation between deposits and allude to favourable differences difference between minerals at radiofrequencies.