Characterising tensile strength and elastic moduli of altered igneous rocks at comminution scale using the Short Impact Load Cell

The primary breakage properties of rocks such a strength (σ) and elastic moduli (i.e. Young's modulus (E) and Poisson's ratio (ѵ)) are not usually characterised at comminution scale. Traditional comminution tests such as the Bond Work Index grinding test and the Drop Weight Test are used for describing the breakage behaviour of different ores. Nevertheless, these tests do not decouple the ore characteristics from the mode of breakage. The primary breakage properties control the initiation and propagation of fractures in rocks and exert control over the resultant progeny of breakage events when the rock is stressed. However, how these properties change as the particle size decreases in comminution is not clear yet. This work explores the change of primary breakage properties and the derived quantities estimated using the Short Impact Load Cell (SILC) (e.g. apparent stiffness and mass-specific fracture energy) within a particle size relevant to ball milling, using a suite of real ores.