Error analysis in ore particle composition distribution measurements

In this approach confidence intervals for each individual composition class are estimated as compared to a previous analytical solution which provides this information for particle composition data in cumulative form (Leigh et al., 1993). The effects on the magnitude of the error associated with measured values of particle composition distribution of the number of ore particles measured in the analysis and the complexity of the particle texture are investigated. Examples from a gold-bearing pyrite ore and an iron oxide copper gold ore are presented to demonstrate the practical application of this approach.