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Discover COREM COREM, a research center that offers a wealth of knowledge and experience in mineral processing.

COREM is the largest research center in Canada totally devoted to mineral processing. Recognized as a world-class research organization, COREM provides a wide range of services to companies that explore and develop ore bodies and transform or recycle mineral substances. Its highly qualified staff of over 140 employees is able to carry out the most complex projects from complete flowsheet development to pilot testing and ore characterization for its members and mining companies worldwide.

COREM covers the following fields of expertise related to the processes used in ore processing plants:

• Comminution • Physical separation • Flotation • Extractive metallurgy • Pelletizing • Thermal processes (iron ore induration, calcination,

roasting, etc.)

COREM’s facilities are unique in Canada for their size and diversity of equipment. With a versatile pilot plant of 5 300 m² and first class analytical, mineralogical and characterization laboratories, COREM is capable of offering a complete range of services to the mineral industry for all major commodities:

• Precious metals – gold, silver, platinum group metals • Base metals – copper, cobalt, lead, zinc, molybdenum,

manganese • Iron ore – hematite, magnetite, goethite, taconite • Titaniferrous and ilmenite ores • Nickel ores • Rare earth and other exotic minerals • Mineral sands • Industrial minerals

COREM also conducts a very extensive research program steered by its members and thus responding directly to their issues and concerns. Through the years, this program has enabled COREM to build a significant portfolio of innovative technologies, demonstrated and validated at the laboratory, pilot or industrial scales. These technologies span a wide scope of different processes used in the industry. The participation of COREM’s experts in the research program provides them with knowledge and

know-how that constitutes an unparalleled edge when carrying out any mineral processing project.

QUALITY AND PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT

In order to provide results and professional services of the highest quality that meet the standards of the industry, COREM maintains two quality management systems. Thus, the pyrometallurgical characterization laboratory is certified ISO 9001:2008 and some services offered by the analytical services laboratory are accredited ISO/IEC 17025:2005. Protecting the environment is also a constant concern of COREM. Its environmental management system is certified ISO 14001:2015 and covers all COREM activities.

HEALTH AND SAFETY COREM strives to maintain a healthy and safe workplace for all of its employees. Regulatory compliance, continuous improvement and integrated and sound management are principles that sustain the many actions taken to prevent work place injuries. Relying on a culture that promotes innovation and multidisciplinarity, COREM can call upon the commitment and accountability of every member of its personnel to achieve the corporate objectives with regards to health and safety.

Comminution A highly specialized team for circuit optimization.

The comminution group is composed of a highly specialized and experienced team of engineers and technicians. Through the years, this team of experts has developed unique technologies and expertise enabling COREM to conduct the full spectrum of tests necessary for the design and optimisation of grinding circuits and to ensure the quality and accurate processing of the results. The services offered cover ore characterization tests, pilot plant testing, simulation and optimization of comminution circuits and plant audits. COREM also supports the mining industry in the development and optimization of complex circuits combining a variety of unitary processes such as leaching, gravity separation and flotation, with grinding.

COREM has a wide range of equipment to carry out pilot testing of comminution circuits. Most of it is modular and mobile; this allows flexible circuit configurations to meet clients objectives. Pilot plant results are used to size or optimize industrial grinding circuits and to estimate typical operating conditions. PILOT PLANT EQUIPMENT

In addition to standard tests (Bond series, Drop Weight Test, etc.), COREM also offers Starkey and Associates SAGDesign™ procedures and other state-of-the-art tests for the design and optimization of autogenous and semi-autogenous grinding circuits and secondary grinding (ball mill).

AVAILABLE TESTS

AG/SAG mills 6 ft x 2 ft

Jaw, cone and roll crushers

Rod, ball and pebble mills (12 in. x 12 in. to 30 in. x 60 in.)

Hydrocyclones

Sieves

Filters and thickeners

HPGR (800 mm x 250 mm)

SAGDesign™ (Starkey)

Bond Work Indices : • Abrasion Work Index (Ai)

• Ball Mill Work Index (WiB) • Rod Mill Work Index (WiR)

Levin Work Index

Karra Work Index

Drop Weight Test (Axb)

Abrasion Test (ta)

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The comminution group has also developed expertise in the simulation of different types of mills and comminution circuits and owns recognized simulation software for grinding circuits (such as JKSimMet) in addition to in-house simulators.

In order to solve operating problems or to evaluate the performance of existing grinding circuits, COREM has mobile instruments to carry out audits in plants. These audits are carefully prepared and include sampling, characterization, test monitoring and data processing. Recommendations are often issued on site, thereby providing timely feedback to the plant metallurgy team.

Physical separation An expertise in gravimetric, magnetic and electrostatic separation.

COREM’s multidisciplinary team of engineers, professionals and technicians, can study physical separation processes at length for the iron and titaniferrous industries, as well as for industrial minerals (e.g. niobium, apatite, rare earths, etc.). Investigating the gravimetric separation of coarse gold is also offered at COREM. COREM’s physical separation experts work closely with its mineralogists to better understand the behavior of minerals and gangue to establish or optimize physical separation processes. Furthermore, COREM’s research program in this field allows our experts to better understand the separation principles and help them to improve or extend the capabilities of separation methods. As an example, COREM pioneered the processing of ores displaying various properties using the Reflux classifier, an emerging and untraditional technology not primarily designed for such materials. EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES COREM has a wide range of gravimetric, magnetic and electrostatic separation equipment to conduct almost any task at the bench and pilot scales. In addition to standard equipment, such as spirals or hindered settlers, COREM possesses the last generation of gravity separators. With those equipment and its expertise, COREM can push gravity separation up a notch and separate finer ore or minerals with low density differences or that are normally out of the range of traditional separation technologies.

The services offered at COREM encompass among others:

• Flowsheet development for prefeasibility or feasibility studies

• Assessing potential beneficiation and expected performances for various ores

• Optimization and troubleshooting of existing physical separation flowsheets

• Recovery of finer particles using traditional and alternative technologies

• Gravity Recoverable Gold (GRG) testing • Derisking of new equipment

Gravity separators Spirals: Walkabout (lab scale), HC-33, H 9000W, HC 8000, WW6E, FM1, HG and MG Series, LD7, etc. Enhanced gravity separators: Falcon and Knelson multi-gravity separators (MGS) Hindered settlers: CFS 8 in. x8 in. and 15 in. x 15 in,, Floatex 18 in, x18 in, Hydrosizer, Reflux Classifier (pilot scale) Shaking tables: Wilfley tables (3, 4, 5 and 9 ft), Mozley table, air table Others: Denver standard jig, Kelsey jig, All jig (pilot scale)

Magnetic separators Dry Low intensity / Lab-scale: Sala Mortsell High & medium intensity / Lab-scale: Carpco induced roll, Carpco lift mag, Frantz, Mini-Jones High & medium intensity / Pilot scale: Carpco Hob mag Wet Low intensity / Lab-scale: Sala laboratory Low intensity / Pilot scale: Stearn (3 drums), Thune 500 and Thune 600 High & medium intensity / Lab-scale: Davis tube, wet high-intensity magnetic separator Carpco High & medium intensity / Pilot scale: SLon

Electrostatic separators Carpco High tension separator

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Flotation COREM’s experts provide a new perspective on flotation.

The field of flotation is very complex requiring extensive knowledge in general chemistry as well as in surface chemistry, electrochemistry and hydrodynamic fundamentals. The combination of these disciplines sheds a new light that allows the design of sound flowsheets and determination of the principles of the optimal conditions to maximize the grade and recovery of the valuable mineral concentrates. Over the years, COREM has brought together people with various skills: technicians, chemists and metallurgical engineers, from the industry or the research domain, all working synergistically to solve issues related to the processing of gold, sulphides, iron ores, oxides, phosphates and many other mineral substances using the flotation method.

Highly performing facilities and equipment enable COREM to manage the treatment of drill cores as well as bulk crushed rocks in samples from a few grams to hundreds of tonnes. The flotation laboratory is equipped with cells of various sizes, all equipped with monitoring instruments for an accurate control of each flotation test. Metallurgical performances can be validated through lock cycle or semi-industrial continuous tests. The pilot plant houses a wide range of equipment: mechanical cells, flotation columns and all the support equipment required to run a flotation circuit.

Development, validation or optimization of any flowsheet is possible at flowrates up to several hundreds of kilograms per hour.

COREM can also rely, on site, on an applied mineralogy laboratory and an ISO / IEC 17025:2005 accredited chemical analysis laboratory. COREM is thus capable of addressing a very wide span of flotation issues, from developing flotation strategies based on ore-specific properties to explaining performance mishaps in existing plants.

EQUIPMENT

Denver flotation cells (1.5 to 10 L)

Magotteaux flotation cells (1.5, 2.5 and 5 L)

Semi-industrial flotation banks (8 to 250 L)

Instrumented flotation columns (25 ft x 2, 4, 6 in. and 16 ft x 12 in.)

On stream analysis using LIBS technology

Portable flotation columns

Pelletizing and thermal processes A world-wide reputation in iron ore processing and thermal processes.

COREM enjoys a world-wide reputation in iron ore processing and a recognized expertise in the field of agglomeration and thermal processing of different products. A wide range of equipment is available for testing at both the laboratory and pilot plant scales in either batch or continuous operation modes. COREM’s facilities allow to offer outstanding services for the development of new and complete beneficiation processes including the extensive characterization of all products, from bulk rock or drill cores to final products (concentrates or pellets).

COREM offers high and proven expertise in optimizing the chemical composition of various types of iron ore pellets and their firing cycle. Pot-grate or grate-kiln-cooler test rigs are used to optimize firing conditions for either the travelling grate or the grate-kiln processes. Pelletizing test work can be carried out at the:

• laboratory scale, using a balling tire or disk in combination with basket firing, with the capacity to fire up to six different samples in one test;

• pilot scale, using a 1 m pelletizing disk in combination with pot-grate or grate-kiln-cooler firing tests.

COREM can also determine pellet properties following their reduction at high temperature.

LUMPS, SINTER AND PELLETS CHARACTERIZATION

Over the years, a long history of projects pertaining to binders, solid fuel, additives, etc. and to their effect on the physical and pyrometallurgical properties of iron ore pellets has helped many pellet producers meet the requirements of the international markets.

Physical tests

Cold Compressive Strength (CCS)

ISO 4700

Tumble indexes ISO 3271

Blast furnace tests

Relative reducibility and R40 ISO 7215, JIS 8713-1, ISO 4695

Swelling ISO 4698

Static disintegration at low temperature

ISO 4696-1, 4692-2

Dynamic disintegration at low temperature

ISO 13930, HYL

Reduction under load (RUL) ISO 7992

Softening temperature COREM

Direct reduction tests

DR90 reducibility ISO 11258 R180 reducibility COREM Linder ISO 11257 Clustering ISO 11256, HYL HYL reducibility HYL HYL swelling HYL

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COREM’s capabilities in thermal processing are extended through a variety of types of furnaces (direct and indirect heating, batch or continuous operation) for the simulation of different industrial processes. Various substances can be studied in drying, roasting or calcination tests under different conditions and atmospheres. These substances can also be tested for their briquetting or agglomeration amenability in view of increasing their recovery (dust residues) or improving their properties for further processing or handling.

COREM has all the equipment and necessary expertise to perform tests meeting the highest quality standards (ISO international standards, and other standards). COREM is an active member of the ISO/TC/102 committee for the development of ISO standards for iron ore and direct reduced iron ore. COREM chairs the CAC ISO/TC/102/SC3 Canadian sub-committee on physical testing. COREM's pyrometallurgical characterization laboratory is certified ISO 9001:2008.

LAB AND PILOT SCALE EQUIPMENT

Extensive equipment for the characterization of binders, minerals, and pellets

Balling tire (exploratory testing)

0.5 m diameter pelletizing disk

1 m diameter pelletizing disk (~ 500 kg/h iron ore)

Roller deck screen

Firing simulators for travelling grate and grate-kiln processes (pot-grate, pot-grate/rotary-kiln)

Pot-grate basket firing

Eirich mixer (micropelletizing)

Komarek press (briquetting)

Continuous rotary kiln (0.4 m diameter by 4.8 m length)

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Extractive metallurgy A multidisciplinary approach for the extraction and recovery of metals.

Extractive metallurgy spans a diversity of separation and concentration processes of metals and is therefore particularly amenable to a multidisciplinary approach. COREM’s diversified expertise in the area facilitates the conception of separation and concentration strategies using a variety of physicochemical techniques.

COREM carries out extractive metallurgy projects on matrices of varying complexity for the separation and concentration of a multitude of elements, ranging from base metals, light metals, precious metals to other common metals. In particular, hydrometallurgical processes such as atmospheric or pressure leaching of all kinds of matrices and recovering metals by varied processes such as adsorption, cementation, solvent or resin extraction and crystallization are an integral part COREM's activities.

To achieve this, COREM maintains a complete hydrometallurgical sector for handling, at the laboratory and semi-industrial scales, all mineral acids and bases under high temperature or high pressure. Whether in order to concentrate the metals of interest or to remove metal impurities in a non-metallic deposit such as graphite, the expertise of its team is well established and capable of providing substantial added value to every project COREM is entrusted with.

In all cases, from the results of mineralogical analyses carried out in COREM’s laboratories, a multidisciplinary team works together to develop all stages of a project and define an experimental flowsheet. Thus, all aspects of the protocol are considered in order to meet client expectations all through the designing of a process, the preparation of materials or when performing tests and analyzing the results.

Always mindful of the needs of its clients, COREM takes into account all constraints, economic as well as environmental, and proposes solutions to achieve the defined objectives.

EQUIPMENT

2 to 2,000 L reactors

1 L autoclave

Pressure filter and vacuum filter (horizontal and vertical)

Wet scrubber

Resin columns

Ore characterization

COREM’s capabilities in ore characterization are well established. Indeed, with proven knowledge of ore processing, COREM can develop, in collaboration with the client, specific characterization schematics to ensure that the results meet the client's needs. Applying optimized work procedures, COREM can carry out extensive studies, at the small and large scales, on any type of ore and on any type of sample (pit, drill core or process samples).

COREM’s experienced team of metallurgists, mineralogists, chemists and technicians can cover all aspects of the characterization process:

• Material preparation: Crushing, grinding and splitting, homogenization and blending

• Analysis: Chemical and mineralogical • Grindability characterization: Work Index (ball and

rod mill), High and Low Energy Impact test, Bond Abrasion Test, SAGDesign procedure, etc.

• Physical characterization for assessing the beneficiation potential offered by physical separation

• Data management: Compilation, analysis and interpretation of results

COREM has a large inventory of test equipment to conduct grindability and physical characterization assessments. Tests can be conducted on single samples or on very large volumes of samples issued from characterization campaigns.

Over the years, COREM has developed rigorous internal quality control protocols (QA/QC) as well as internal operation procedures that ensure very good repeatability at every step of the characterization process. This aspect remains an active priority and COREM continuously strives to maintain or improve the performance in all of its activities.

EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES

Jaw crushers, roll crushers, carrousel and riffle splitters

Extensive chemical analysis laboratory (XRF, wet chemistry, Satmagan, specific gravity, size distribution, etc.)

Mineralogical analysis laboratory equipped with a MLA-FEG, optical and electronic microscopes, etc.

Dense media separation equipment

Wilfley tables

Davis tube

Bond Work indices (ball and rod mill, abrasion tests)

Levin and Karra work indices

High and Low Energy Impact Tests, SAGDesign

Gold processing: From characterization to process optimization

The expertise of COREM’s team intervenes at various stages of the gold mining cycle, from exploration to production and through the feasibility studies.

From the early stages of exploration, COREM can conduct detailed mineralogical studies in order to evaluate a number of key geological parameters such as the identification of gold-bearing matrices, their associations, the liberation mesh of metals of interest, etc. These parameters will be considered during the feasibility study in order to steer ore characterization and further define the process for an optimal exploitation of the deposit.

To classical techniques for recovering gold such as physical separation, flotation and cyanidation, COREM adds innovative technologies for characterization and processing of refractory gold. COREM can thus support its clients in the development of a performing flowsheet and in all phases leading to the start-up of a new mine.

COREM’s experts also work with operating mines to help optimize their processes. Multidisciplinary teams prepare materials, design and implement laboratory tests in order to optimize the processing of gold and silver ores. Whether it is to improve the recovery of metals of interest or reduce reagent consumption, all aspects are taken into consideration including economic and environmental constraints to the process.

With many successful projects for various clients around the world on a wide range of mineralogies and addressing grinding as well as gold gravity recovery, flotation, cyanidation, zinc cementation (Merrill-Crowe) or carbon adsorption, the expertise and multidisciplinary approach of COREM’s team provides substantial added value to each project it is entrusted with.

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TYPICAL TESTS

EQUIPMENT (LABORATORY SCALE)

APPLICATIONS

Gold ore characterization

Gravity separation of gold

Gold and silver flotation

Optimization of cyanidation parameters

Refractory gold treatment

Recovery of gold on carbon

Cementation (Merrill-Crowe)

GRG test

Leaching tests (bottle or 2 L reactor)

Diagnostic leaching

Knelson concentrator

Mozley table

2 to 2,000 L reactors

Heating system

1 L Autoclave

Pressure filter and vacuum filter (horizontal and vertical)

Wet scrubber

Resin column

Denver flotation cells (1.5 to 10 L)

GOLD DEPORTMENT STUDIES

Mineralogical expertise on several types of gold ore, cutting-edge equipment such as the MLA automated scanning microscope, solid experience for dense media concentration, leaching diagnosis, etc., and alliances with specialists in surface chemistry allow COREM to conduct detailed gold deportment studies that lead to optimize processes and increase recovery.

GRG TEST (GRAVITY RECOVERABLE GOLD)

This test now being the standard for assessing the potential for gold ore gravity recovery, COREM can perform the full range of GRG tests using the Knelson concentrator.

Mineralogy A full range of ore mineral characterization.

COREM can address the full range of ore mineral characterization for the mining industry. Our dedicated team of professional mineralogists and technicians can carry out studies on base metals, iron and/or titaniferous ores, precious metals, industrial minerals, rare earths and iron ore pellets. With the newest generation of Mineral Liberation Analyser (MLA) and a wealth of other mineralogical analysis equipment, COREM can support mining companies through a wide variety of tasks, from the mineralogical characterization of new deposits to mineralogical studies aiming to understand the causes of sub-performing operating concentrators.

EQUIPMENT AND INSTALLATIONS

Mineral Liberation Analyser (MLA-FEG)

Scanning Electron Microscope (Hitachi S-3000N)

Optical microscopes (reflected and transmitted light)

Automated optical microscope for the characterization of iron ore pellet microstructure

Polished sections and thin sections laboratory

Stereo-microscopes

To undertake its numerous projects in mineralogy, COREM uses state-of-the-art equipment and follows standardised procedures to guarantee the preparation of representative samples out of bulk samples from the laboratory, the pilot plant or from the deposit. Samples of any origin (crushing, grinding, sieving, shaking table separation, dense media separation, magnetic separation, etc.) can be studied in bulk or mounted into high quality polished or thin layer sections in COREM’s mineralogical laboratory.

The MLA is used to conduct quantitative mineralogical studies on various ores and process samples. This powerful equipment can provide large volumes of data including:

Modal analysis (mineral list and abundances) Particle size distribution Liberation of minerals of interest (valuable and

gangue minerals) Elemental distribution (valuable and contaminants) Mineral associations Theoretical recovery curves Etc.

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This data is then sorted and interpreted by COREM’s mineralogists and metallurgists in connection with the metallurgical process involved. COREM’s applied mineralogy capacity can add tremendous value to any mining project, e.g. during process flowsheet design or troubleshooting of concentrator operation, etc.

Specifically for pellet producers, COREM has developed in-house an automated optical microscope for characterizing the microstructure of iron ore pellets; this instrument allows quantifying pellet characteristics that may affect quality.

APPLICATIONS

Petrographic studies of new deposits

Assessment of beneficiation potential of ore bodies

Drill core characterization

Study of process samples for troubleshooting

Plant performance prediction

Elemental and mineral deportment studies

Iron ore pellets characterization

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Analytical Services Laboratory (ASL)

COREM'S analytical services laboratory (ASL) conducts major, minor and trace element assays in various mineral matrices as well as the analysis of several parameters in liquid samples. The state-of-the-art equipment, an experienced team and a quality management system allow the production of analyses with a maximum of accuracy.

The ASL is accredited by the Standards Canada Council (SCC) through the Bureau de Normalisation du Québec (BNQ) according to the ISO/IEC 17025: 2005 standard. The certificate and the scope of accreditation are available on COREM’s Web site. In addition, the ASL participates actively in the development of international ISO standards in the field of iron ore by participating in the technical committee ISO/TC 102/SC 2 (Iron ore and direct reduced iron: Chemical Analysis).

SERVICES OFFERED

1. Sample preparation • Drying • Crushing • Pulverizing • Dividing • Homogenization

2. Sample decomposition (for metal analyses)

• Nitric acid (HNO3) • Hydrochloric acid (HCl) • Nitric and Hydrochloric (HNO3/HCl) • Nitric and Hydrofluoric acid (HNO3/HF) • Nitric, Hydrochloric, Hydrofluoric and Perchloric acid

(HNO3/HCl/HF/HClO4) • Sodium Peroxide Fusion (Na2O2) • Litharge fusion (PbO) – Fire assay

3. Analyses of unitary metals by atomic absorption spectrometry or by ICP-MS in rocks, concentrates, ores and other

mineral substances, as trace major elements (base and precious metals, rare earths, etc.)

Metal scan (27) by 4-acids decomposition finished with ICP-MS

Elements and reported detection limit (mg/kg)

Rare earth elements by lithium metaborate fusion finished with ICP-MS

Elements and reported detection limit (mg/kg)

Ag 0.5 Cr 2 Pb 2

Y 5 Tb 0.5

Al 5 Cu 2 Sb 10

La 5 Dy 2

As 5 Fe 20 Sc 0.5

Ce 10 Ho 0.5

Ba 0.5 K 20 Se 20

Pr 2 Er 2

Be 1 Mg 2 Sr 0.5

Nd 10 Tm 0.5

Bi 5 Mn 1 Th 0.5

Sm 3 Yb 2

Ca 50 Mo 0.5 Ti 5

Eu 0.2 Lu 0.5

Cd 0.5 Na 20 V 0.5

Gd 2

Co 0.5 Ni 2 Zn 5

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4. Analyses of major and minor elements by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) in rocks, concentrates, ores and other mineral

substances

5. Analyses of various wet chemistry parameters of rocks, concentrates, ores and other mineral substances

Lithium (Li) determination by 4-acids decomposition finished with ICP-MS

Element and reported detection limit (%)

Li 0.05

Regular elements and ranges (%) Elements of sulfured matrices and ranges (%)

SiO2 0.1 – 100 MnO 0.01 – 75 SiO2 0.1 - 100 Co 0.02 – 2

Al2O3 0.2 – 100 P2O5 0.01 – 60 Al2O3 0.5 – 90 Cr 0.02 – 35

Fe2O3 0.1 – 100 Cr2O3 0.01 – 40 MgO 0.2 – 100 Cu 0.1 – 40

MgO 0.04 – 100 V2O5 0.01 – 10 CaO 0.01 – 50 Fe 0.05 – 70

CaO 0.01 – 100 ZrO2 0.02 – 45 K2O 0.01 – 30 Ni 0.01 – 80

Na2O 0.04 – 100 ZnO 0.01 – 10 TiO2 0.1 – 50 Pb 0.02 – 95

K2O 0.01 – 40 PAF 0.01 - 100 MnO 0.1 – 50 S 0.1 – 60

TiO2 0.04 – 40 P2O5 0.02 - 50 Zn 0.02 - 80

Option

Nb2O5 0.01 - 80 SrO 0.05 - 40

Elements Methods

Total carbon

LECO

(combustion and IR)

Graphitic carbon

Inorganic carbon

Organic carbon

Org./graph. carbon

Total sulphur

Ashes Gravimetric Loss on ignition (LOI)

Elements Methods

Total Iron Titrimetric Ferrous Iron (FeO)

Metallic Iron (Br2 and FeCl3)

Chlorides Alkaline fusion and colorimetric

Fluorides Alkaline fusion and specific electrode

Sulphates Turbidimetry

Density He Pycnometer

Magnetic susceptibility Satmagan

Particles size distribution Sieves and laser diffraction

Ministère de l’Énergie et des Ressources naturelles Ministère de l'Èconomie, de la Science et de l'Innovation