Microstructural Quantitative Analysis of Polymer amended Fluid Fine Tailing’s Using Digital Image Processing Techinques

Morphological information is extracted from different images using a sequence of image processing techniques, designed by trial and error to produce repeatable information for the studied material, flocculated fluid fine tailings (FFT). The designed image processing method produces binary images defining pore-space and solid particles (solid grains or flocs). The binary images are then analyzed using a software, primarily "Fiji-Image J" for quantitative analysis of the image for tends in pore and particle size distributions. The samples that were imaged were obtained from amended FFT dewatering experiments, comprising many replicates of 0.10 m high columns that were sampled over months. The tailings were dosed with a high molecular anionic polymer at two doses (600 and 800 ppm polymer per dry tailings). Columns either had one way or two-way drainage. The most dramatic observation was the increase in floc size over 48 hours using optical microscopy.