Industrial online raw materials analyzer based on laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

From its inception, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) has been recognized as a prospective tool for online process control. Nevertheless, it took considerable time and effort to transform this potential opportunity into application in a working industrial system, such as the mining industry, under real-life conditions and a 24/7 operating mode. There were three main attributes of LIBS to prove: its advantage over other online techniques, mainly prompt gamma neutron activation analysis and X-ray fluorescence; its ability to give relevant data despite its surface but not volume analytical abilities; and its ability to be sufficiently accurate for online process control needs. Comparison of the quantitative results gained from industrial installations of an LIBS analyzer with results of conventional analytical methods and, most importantly, the substantial improvement of the technological process effectiveness proved that LIBS is in fact an excellent technique for online process control in the mining industry.