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By M. R. Khalesi

A method is proposed to estimate the gold content of the ore in the size intervals during size reduction. The method uses the population balance model to trace the gold deportment through the size fractions and monitor the generation of liberated gold grains during the size reduction. The model is calibrated using batch grinding test results of a gold ore. Preliminary results show that the model can be calibrated with a minimum of parameters compared to conventional grinding-liberation models. Keywords: simulation, liberation, gold, exposure, grinding

Jan 1, 2009

By J. A. Sweet, T. BACHMANN, G. E. Sandoval, T. M. Hauyon, F. A. Contreras

In many respects a porphyry copper ore concentrator plant can be considered as a simple system. Chalcopyrite typically liberates well at relatively coarse sizes, and even low grade ores are amenable to upgrading 20 to 30 times to produce concentrate grades in excess of 25 % in very simple Rougher- Regrind-Cleaner+Scavenger flotation circuits. The flotation response of chalcopyrite has been well characterised in many fundamental and applied research studies and the conditions necessary to depress pyrite and other floating gangue species are well understood. But what happens to the particle surfaces when you have a 50 km pipeline between the grinding circuit and the flotation plant? How does the seasonal variation in water quality affect your ability to control pulp chemistry? What impact does the relative concentration of the different sulphide species have on their separability? Why do two plants that receive nominally the same ore produce consistently different results? And most importantly, what do you need to do to improve the performance of both plants? To answer these and other questions, a focussed sampling and analysis programme was carried out at the Las Tórtolas flotation plants in 2018 and 2019. The work included full down-the-bank sampling, hot floats, the use of radioactive tracers for determining residence time distribution profiles, gas dispersion measurements, detailed mineralogy by size across the circuits and multiple regrind surveys. This comprehensive study was augmented by analysis of historical mineralogy, geometallurgy and operating data using modern data science techniques, and has provided the foundation for current and future optimisation initiatives. Some of the findings and their implementation will be presented in this paper. Keywords: Circuit optimization, Residence time, Gas dispersion, Pulp chemistry

Jan 1, 2020

By J. Sikamo, A. Mwanza, C. Mweemba

"The Zambian copper mining industry as we know it today had its genesis in the 1920s. Consistent private sector-driven investment in the industry over a period of over 50 years in exploration, mine development and operation, development of minerals processing facilities, building of infrastructure for pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical processing, with attendant support facilities, including building of whole new towns, resulted in copper production rising to a peak of 769 000 t in 1969, providingover 62 000 direct jobs. The industry was nationalized in 1973 and remained in government hands for just over 24 years. During this period, the industry experienced a serious decline in production levels, reaching the lowest level in the year 2000 when production was 250 000 t. An average of just under 2000 jobs were lost every year in the 24-year period, reaching just over 22 000 direct jobs in 2000.Following the return of Zambian politics to pluralism and liberalized economic policies, the government decided to privatize the mining industry. The process started in 1996 and by the year 2000 all the mining assets had been privatized. The new investors embarked on serious investment to upgrade the assets and to develop greenfield mining projects. Fourteen years later and after more than US$12 billion investment, production levels increased year-on-year to a peak of 763 000 t in 2013 with direct jobs reaching 90 000.This paper discusses the impact of the mining industry in Zambia on the economy in areas such as employment, support for other industries, direct contribution to the national gross domestic product (GDP), foreign exchange earnings, and social amenities. The paper also focuses on the performance of the mines during these periods vis-à-vis mineral availability, mineral grades and complexity, new technologies, and human capital. This is looked at particularly in the light of current challenges the industry is facing. Suggestions are proposed on how the industry can be nurtured to continue being a major driver for the Zambian economy and a major player in the international copper mining business."

Jan 1, 2016

By C. A. Border

This paper is a brief record of the State's involvement in the problems that have faced Iow-grade mines in the South African gold-mining industry for a period of more than sixty years. Not all the recommendations made by the various commissions are recorded here, but those which are included highlight the fact that many of the problems that plagued the industry during those years, whether economic or labour matters, are still troubling the industry today.

Jan 1, 1981

By N. K. Singo, J. D. Kramers

The reprocessing of tailings resources to extract gold on an industrial scale has become common practice. While these projects are common in the Witwatersrand basin, similar low-technology processes are not operational in smaller goldfields. This study explores the possibility of reclaiming the tailings dump of the Louis Moore Mine in the Giyani Greenstone Belt, investigates potential hazards to communities in the vicinity, and identifies mitigation strategies. Auger samples were taken from the Louis Moore tailings at depths of up to 5 m. Aqua regia leach analyses show Au concentrations of up to 1 g/t. Inferred estimations based on ordinary kriging (OK) and inverse distance weighted (IDW) methods put the residual Au resource in the Louis Moore tailings dump at 0.20 t. Reworking the tailings is viable, although a potential environmental risk exists in the form of elevated arsenic concentrations. Further exploration is required to determine the mineralogical associations of Au and As. Tailings reworking would assist in raising funds for mine rehabilitation. The secondary tailings could potentially be repurposed, which would provide employment and facilitate community development, as well as deliver environmental benefits.

Jul 1, 2021

By D. Paktunc, S. P. du Preez, J. P. Beukes, P. G. van Zyl, A. Jordaan

"The chromium (Cr) content of stainless steel originates from recycled scrap and/or ferrochrome (FeCr), which is produced mainly by the carbothermic reduction of chromite ore. The oxidative sintered pellet production process is one of the most widely applied FeCr processes. The supplier of this technology specifies that recycling of chromite-containing dust collected from the pellet sintering off-gas and fines screened out from the sintered pellets (collectively referred to as pre-oxidized chromite fines) should be limited to a maximum of 4 wt% of the total pellet composition. However, the results presented in this paper suggest that recycling of such fines up to a limit of 32 wt% of the total pellet composition may improve the compressive and abrasion strengths of the cured pellet. In addition, electron microprobe and quantitative X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses demonstrate that chromite grains present in the pre-oxidized chromite fines consist, at least partially, of crystalline phases/compounds that will improve the metallurgical efficiency and specific electricity consumption (i.e. MWh/ton FeCr produced) of the smelting process. Introduction Stainless steel is a vital modern-day alloy that is well-known for its corrosion resistance, which is mainly due to the inclusion of chromium (Cr) (ICDA, 2013). Stainless steel is mostly produced from recycled scrap and ferrochrome (FeCr), a relatively crude alloy of Cr and iron (Fe). FeCr is predominantly produced by the carbothermic reduction of chromite, a mineral belonging to the spinel group characterized by the unit formula [(Mg,Fe2+)(Al,Cr,Fe3+)2O4] (Haggerty, 1991; Paktunc and Cabri, 1995; Tathavakar, Antony, and Jha, 2005). Although Cr can occur in 82 different minerals, chromite is the only source of new Cr units that can be exploited in commercial volumes (Motzer and Engineers, 2004). Approximately 95% of mined chromite is used in the production of various FeCr grades, of which high-carbon and charge grade FeCr are the most common (ICDA, 2013)."

Feb 1, 2019

By B. S. Xakalashe, I. J. Geldenhuys, M. W. Erwee, Q. G. Reynolds, R. T. Jones, S. P. Tsebe

Aspects of the production of platinum group metals by reductive smelting in direct-current arc furnace processes are investigated using a computational modelling approach. The replacement of fossil carbon as a reductant by alternative reductants such as silicon carbide, ferrosilicon, and hydrogen is desirable for reducing direct greenhouse gas emissions from such processes, but the impact of these changes on the electrical operability of the process is poorly understood. This paper presents a study of plasma arc behaviour in the context of the ConRoast® reductive smelting process for Upper Group 2 ore as well as processes for recycling of automotive catalysts, using an integrated computational modelling workflow. It was found that the freeboard gas compositions, plasma properties, and arc behaviour were all affected by the choice of reductant, particularly in carbon-free smelting using ferrosilicon or hydrogen.

Mar 6, 2026

"Investment in diamond exploration has been declining over the past decade, in spite of positive long-term industry fundamentals and a growing interest in diamonds as an investment category. The lack of new significant discoveries in recent years has eroded investor confidence, yet no new discoveries are possible without investment in exploration. Junior ‘mine finders’ have been the hardest hit. Their agility, tenacity, and appetite for risk are not sufficient to attract the funding required, even at the greenfield stage. Developing new discoveries into mineral resources can be crippling without solid financial support. Junior incubators could play a crucial role, especially at the project evaluation stage – but where are they? Alternatives to traditional funding mechanisms have become available, many still untested in the junior diamond exploration space. Valuable lessons can be drawn from the past and used to inform emerging new strategies. IntroductionDiamonds are the ultimate expression of love. Their ancient and timeless allure continues to influence consumer emotions and behaviours across continents, cultures and age groups. Analysts are predicting a sustained supplydemand shortfall in the years ahead which will trend diamond prices generally upwards. With positive long-term industry fundamentals, one cannot help but wonder why funding for diamond exploration and development projects is so scarce.Investment in exploration across commodities – including diamonds – has been declining for a number of years, reaching a historic eleven-year low early in 2017. The lack of major diamond discoveries in recent years has done little to strengthen the case for investing in diamond projects, yet no new discoveries can be made without investment in exploration.Global estimates of known carats in the ground stand currently at 2.5 billion carats, which equates to around 18 years of production at current levels of 140 million carats (mct) per annum. Sustainable replenishment of depleting diamond resources is possible only through the development of new discoveries. This is what junior explorers are best at – but they need investors to fund their evaluation activities from early in the project development continuum."

Feb 1, 2019

By M. Louarrat, G. Enaime, A. Yaacoubi, A. Baçaoui, J. Blin

"The purpose of this study is to prepare a new activated carbon from olive stones for use in gold recovery by carbon-in-leach (CIL) and carbon-inpulp (CIP). The preparation method chosen was physical activation using steam. The effect of four process parameters: the residence time for carbonization, the activation temperature, the residence time for activation, and steam flow, were studied by the mean of response surface method (RSM) in order to optimize the yield, iodine index, and attrition characteristics. These two last responses were used as primary indicators of gold recovery capacity and mechanical strength. The results obtained show that optimal activated carbon can be prepared under the following conditions: a carbonization time of 157 minutes, activation at 921°C for 53 minutes, and a water vapour flow of 0.18 mL/min. This optimum carbon has an iodine value greater than 1100 mg/g and an attrition index in the order of 0.74%. These values reflect the quality of the precursor (olive stones) as a raw material for the development of an effective new activated carbon for the gold mining industry. IntroductionActivated carbon is an effective adsorbent widely used in industry due to its high surface area, well-developed reproducible microporous structure, and high degree of surface reactivity and adsorption capacity. World consumption of activated carbon is steadily increasing. It is primarily used in industrial wastewater and gas treatment and also for silver and gold recovery from cyanide solutions (Syna and Valix, 2003; Soleimani and Kaghazchi, 2008; Buah and Williams, 2010; Eddy et al., 2011). However, activated carbon is expensive and it needs to be regenerated after each adsorption cycle. In order to decrease the cost of manufacturing activated carbon, low-cost forest and agricultural wastes are considered promising new materials. In recent years considerable research has been reported on activated carbon from agricultural wastes, such as olive stones (Yavu et al., 2010), acorn shells (Sahin and Saka, 2013), peanut shells (Wu, Guo, and Fu, 2013), grape seeds (Jimenez-Cordero, 2014), coconut shells (Yalcin and Arol, 2002; Gratuito, 2008), palm shells (Sumathi, 2009), cherry stones (Jaramilloa, Gomez-Serrano, and A´lvareza, 2009), macadamia nut shells (Eddy, 2011), apricot stones (Soleimani and Kaghazchi, 2008), and bagass (Syna and Valix, 2003)."

Mar 1, 2019

By S. M. Rupprecht

A deposit to be mined by underground methods can be accessed by a number of methods: ? Adit ? Decline or ramp ? Inclined shaft ? Vertical shaft. Adits are an economical approach when the orebody is above the general floor elevation i.e. suitable in hilly or mountainous terrain. Incline shafts are limited to relatively shallow deposits, and because they are developed on an incline, development lengths for a given depth are the three to five times longer than for a vertical shaft. Vertical shafts are the preferred method for deposits deeper than 300 m but the development rate is slow and construction costs are very high. Declines or ramps offer early access to shallow deposits, which develops the ore body expediently, but are generally developed at a gradient of approximately 12 per cent. Decline haulages have become an attractive alternative to shaft hoisting, and over recent years the role of decline access has become more widespread throughout South Africa. Traditionally, South Africa has enjoyed the use of shaft systems, largely due to the large knowledge base of mining the Witwatersrand Basin, where vertical and inclined shafts were the norm. South Africa has also had the advantage of cheap electricity, giving shafts a definite economic advantage. However, in recent years the national power utility ESKOM has undergone an expansion programme that has led to tariff increases of nearly 100% over a three-year period. Based on the changes in electricity tariffs and technological improvements to underground haulage trucks, the economic inputs to access development have changed. This paper reviews mine access for shallow deposits as currently applied in South Africa. Based on current economic inputs, the paper investigates at what point a vertical shaft would be more economical than a decline system utilizing typical South African mining equipment.

Jan 1, 2012

By M. Kumral, Y. A. Sari

Underground mining operations tend to have higher operating costs than surface mines. When metal prices decrease, profitability is jeopardized due to the high costs. Therefore, mining management harnesses new practices that increase operational efficiency. One way to manage this challenge is to invest in new mine planning practices. Stope layout optimization as a part of underground mine planning aims to identify a portion of the orebody in the form of production volumes (stopes) to maximize profit under roadway and stope dimension constraints. In this paper we propose a novel approach based on identifying ore-rich areas of the deposit and prioritizing their extraction through an iterative heuristic clustering approach. The proposed approach is compared with and validated by an exact method through a small mining example. The heuristics produced nearly identical results in a very short time. Finally, a case study was carried out using a larger data-set. The cluster-based iterative approach generated nearoptimal stope layouts in a computationally effective manner.

Mar 1, 2021

By T. Mützea, L. Schützenmeister, G. Kacheb

High-Pressure Grinding Rolls (HPGR) are employed in cement plants worldwide. Although the technology has been mastered in the majority of applications, design-, scale-up- and operationalchallenges still exist today. In addition to modelling throughput, energy requirement and comminution success, the prediction and avoidance of malfunctions is of great importance in current research. The performance of the mill is highly influenced by the roll speed and the fineness of the feed material. Another parameter influencing the composition of mill feed is the circulating load, which is determined by the grinding circuit configuration, the target fineness and the separation efficiency of the classifier. In order to meet this circumstance and simultaneously maintain a reasonable level of material input and testing effort, a complete grinding circuit on a small technical scale was set up in the research centre of Thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions AG. The present study varied the roll speed (0.5-2 m/s) and the proportion of fines in the feed (0-75 %) in order to investigate the influence of both parameters on the finish grinding of a Portland cement with a target fineness of 4000 cm²/g according to Blain. The experimental results are compared with model concepts and critically examined with regard to their transferability to industrial plants. Keywords: Cement grinding, grinding circuit, HPGR

Jan 1, 2020

By E. Hakami

The objective of the study was to estimate the largest shear displacement that could be expected on a pre-existing fracture located in the repository area, due to the heat release from deposited waste. Two-dimensional numerical analyses using UDEC have been performed. The maximum shear displacement, at the fracture centre, amounts to 0.2 – 13.8 cm depending on fracture parameters. The fracture extension, friction angle and shear stiffness are found to be the most important. Le but de cette étude est de déterminer le déplacement maximal en cisaillement qui puisse se développer le long d'une fracture préexistante en réaction à la chaleur dégagée par les déchets radioactifs enfouis dans la roche. Les analyses numériques ont été réalisées à l'aide du code 2D UDEC. Le déplacement maximal en cisaillement enregistré au centre de la fracture varie entre 0.2 et 13.8 cm en fonction des propriétés de la fracture. L'ouverture, l'angle de friction et la rigidité au cisaillement semblent avoir une influence dominante sur les résultats. Zielsetzung der Studie war die Abschätzung der maximalen Scherverschiebung, die auf einer innerhalb des Endlagergebietes existierenden Rissfläche infolge der Wärmeabstrahlung des eingelagerten Materials zu erwarten war. Es wurden zwei-dimensionale numerische Berechnungen mit UDEC durchgeführt. Die maximale Scherverschiebung im Zentrum der Rissfläche beträgt 0.2-13.8 cm, abhängig von den Risseigenschaften. Dabei hat sich herausgestellt, dass Rissgrösse,Reibungswinkel und Schersteifigkeit den grössten Einfluss haben.

Jan 1, 2003

The November General Meeting of the Branch was held at the S1. Helena Club on Friday, 15th November, 1968. Mr. J. G. Kirchner (Chairman of the O.F.S. Branch) was in the chair. There were also present: President: Mr R. C. J. Goode. Eighteen Members: Mr A. E. Gilfillan (Council Member), Messrs T. Zadkin, J. N. Saunders, N. A. Honnet, D. D. Waterman, C. R. Netscher, (Committee Members), Messrs G. Thorburn, Z. Lombard, H. V. Henwood, C. J. Isaac, S. L. S. Swart, J. D. McNamara, H. H. Schellhorn, J. W. Wilson, G. C. P. Labuschagne, L. J. Thorne, R. C. Espley-Jones, J. Handley. Seventeen Associate Members: Messrs H. J. Reeders, R. Campbell, P. A. Hoffman, D. E. Couperthwaite, M. D. de Lange, G. J. C. Young, G. W. Futcher, U. Visser, F. H. De Groot, E. Schmid, K. G. Pearce, D. A. Viljoen, H. W. M. Eschenburg, R. Still, W. B. Howe, A. H. Edwards, R. H. Drake. Three Graduates: Messrs T. R. Stromsoe, J. G. Cockburn, T. A. Ward. One Affiliate: Mr O. A. Huss. Twenty-three visitors. Total present: 64. Apologies were reseived from Messrs L. O. W. Leimer, V. C. Barnes and A. Louw. WELCOME TO VISITORS The Chairman declared the meeting open and extended a special welcome to the following: Mr R. C. J. Goode, President of the S.A. Institute of Mining and Metallurgy; Mr A. E. Gilfillan, Member of Council and Mr D. A. Viljoen, all from Johannesburg. Also to Mr J. D. McNamara, the guest speaker for the evening who had made the trip from Oranjekrag. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS GENERAL MEETINGS The minutes of two meetings, viz., the General Meeting held on 26th June, 1968 together with those of the Annual General Meeting held on 14th August, 1968 were taken as read and their adoption moved by Messrs T. Zadkin and D. D. Waterman. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES There were no matters arising from the minutes. ADDRESS BY PRESIDENT OF COUNCIL, MR R. C. J. GOODE With regard to the 75th Anniversary of the Institute, the President called upon those present to bear the following two dates in mind, viz.: 21st March, 1969-Banquet at the Wanderers' Club, to which ladies are invited. 24th March, 1969-General Meeting at Kelvin House at 9.30 a.m., the speakers being the President of the Institute, the President of the Chamber of Mines and Dr H. J. van Eck.

By C. Ndou, T. Mothupi, H. Mandende

The technological advances in efficient, rapid, and non-destructive hyperspectral core logging systems for systematic mineral mapping have led to the discovery and exploitation of new mineral deposits Hyperspectral imaging in the long-wave infrared range has been recently used successfully to identify various phosphatebearing minerals (monazite, xenotime, and britholite), with limited work on apatite associated with mafic-ultramafic layered intrusions. In this study we investigate the effectiveness of a hyperspectral imaging (HSI) system with long-wave infrared (LWIR) bandwidthsto identify apatite in the Upper Zone of the Bushveld Complex. The accuracy of the HSI results was validated by mineralogical and geochemical data. The two apatite-enriched zones detected by HSI suggesting widespread development of apatite throughout the uppermost 600 m of the Upper Zone. The lower apatite-enriched zone is approximately 40 m thick, while the upper apatite-enriched zone is about 23 m thick, consistent with previous thickness determinations by traditional logging and analytical methods. Spectral mixing observed in the response of apatite is ascribed either to the common association of apatite and olivine in these rocks, or to differences between the spatial resolution of the hyperspectral image and the size of apatite grains. The VNIR-SWIR wavelength region did not show prominent spectral features of apatite. Nonetheless, HSI in the LWIR range is effective in mapping apatite and should therefore be considered as an exploration tool. This research advances our knowledge of the reflectance spectroscopy of REE-bearing minerals, which makes it easier to detect, identify, and quantify REE-bearing silicate minerals by HSI.

Feb 6, 2023

By L. Diko-Makia, N. Rembuluwani

Artisanal and small-scale mining is crucial for the mineral sector in South Africa, but it also presents both opportunities and challenges. This paper presents an overview of the South African artisanal and small-scale mining sector, the socio-economic significance of artisanal and smallscale mining, the regulatory environment, and the environmental impacts, which are currently the status quo of this sector in South Africa. The paper identified ways in which artisanal and small-scale mining can support local development, create employment opportunities, and reduce poverty. The case of informatisation, ecological damage, and social insecurity has shown social conflicts, potential land degradation, and criminal behaviour. Finally, the paper discusses the future of artisanal and small-scale mining in South Africa, which will largely depend on improved legislation, enhanced personnel capacity, and more sustainable practices to ensure that the positive outcomes of the industry outweigh the negative ones. These propositions include recommendations to all stakeholders, including the government, industry, and civil society, such as stricter environmental regulations, improved working conditions for miners, and the promotion of responsible mining practices.

Dec 15, 2025

By P. van der Steen

This paper examines the historical developments in diamond beneficiation technology and the impacts on the industry. The art of diamond beneficiation has given way to the application of scientific process, but at considerable capital expenditure. The shift in beneficiation methodologies has been disruptive to the traditional skills set of the industry, but evolutionary change continues and has been beneficial to the quality of the final product.

Jan 1, 2010

By B. k. Kenzhaliyev, M. A. Naimanbayev, Zh. A. Baltabekova, N. G. Lokhova

In research various desorbents were used to desorb the following rare-earth metals from Purosorb 140 cation exchanger, i.e. ammonium chloride; ammonium sulfate; a mixture of nitric acid and ammonium nitrate; a mixture of hydrochloric acid and ammonium chloride; a mixture of sulfuric acid and ammonium sulfate. It was established that a solution containing 30 g/dm3 of H2SO4 + 300 g/dm3 of (NH4) 2SO4 is the most optimal desorbing solution to desorb REMs from macroporous Purosorb 140 cation exchanger impregnated with rare-earth metals from industrial dihydrate wet-process phosphoric acid. It was established that the residual REM content in the cation exchanger decreased from 0.89 to 0.10 wt. % with an increase in the ammonium sulfate concentration from 10 to 400 g/dm3. Technological desorption regimes for rare-earth metals from cation exchanger were developed. The optimal conditions were determined to desorb rare-earth metals from the Purosorb 140 cation exchanger, particularly temperature 25°C; L:S ratio = (0.8 ÷ 1.1):1; duration = 1.0-1.5 hours. Keywords: Rare elements, sorption, cation exchangers, wet-process phosphoric acid, desorption

Jan 1, 2020

By T. Käyhköa, J. Liipoa, S. Khizanishvilic, M. Sinche-Gonzalezb

The use of geometallurgical modelling is becoming more common in concentrator plant design and during the operational phase. Predictive modelling aims to define optimised process parameters for the concentrator plant to accommodate variability within the ore feed. The main objective of this study is to show how the metallurgical response of different types of ore blends can be simulated using kinetic models derived from experimental flotation tests with different geometallurgical end-member ore types and their blends. For these validation tests, four different end-member ore types containing different ratios of chalcopyrite, chalcocite and oxidised copper minerals from Rich Metal Group’s Madneuli copper-gold mine, Georgia, were tested. Kinetic flotation tests, including both rougher and cleaner flotation tests, were carried out. The simulations were performed using HSC Chemistry software based on mineral compositions of the ores and kinetic models using rectangular distribution equations and flowsheet model. Simulated and experimental results of copper grade, copper recovery and concentrate mass pull correlated well with R2 values of >0.95. Based on these results, the metallurgical response of different ore blends can be simulated based on the flotation kinetics of end-member ore types. The use of this kind of simulation will create savings during the test work phase and increase the flexibility and predictability in the processing stage. Keywords: Ore body characterisation, geometallurgy, process mineralogy

Jan 1, 2020

By E. C. de Beer

"SynopsisA number of important areas in nuclear fuel cycle, at both the front end and back end, offer ideal opportunities for the application of non-destructive evaluation techniques. These techniques do not only provide opportunities for non-invasive testing of e.g. irradiated materials, but also play an important role in the development of new materials in the nuclear sector. The advantage of penetrating radiation used as probe in the investigation and testing of nuclear materials makes X-ray and neutron radiography (2D) and tomography (3D) suitable for various applications in the total nuclear fuel cycle. The unique and different interaction modes of the two radiation probes with materials provide several opportunities. Their complementary nature and non-destructive character makes them most suitable for nuclear material analyses, analytical method development, and the evaluation of the performance of existing nuclear material compositions. This article gives an overview of the X-ray and neutron radiography/tomography applications in the field of nuclear material testing, and highlights a few of the success stories. Several selected areas of application in the nuclear fuel cycle are discussed to illustrate the complementary nature of these techniques as applied to nuclear materials.IntroductionDuring the development of new materials for the nuclear industry, materials testing and characterization are of the outmost importance to maintain safety standards and reliability. No compromise on safety in the workplace in any area within the total nuclear fuel cycle can be tolerated, and therefore most in-situ material characterization and testing is conducted by certified and qualified personnel schooled in destructive and non-destructive testing (DT and NDT) methods. Certification and qualification in NDT can be obtained through many training centres in South Africa in accordance with European, American, and other international standards (SGS, n.d.; SAIW, n.d.; African NTD Centre, n.d.)."

Jan 1, 2015