An on-line energy dispersive X-ray diffraction (EDXRD) analyser for mineralogical analysis of material in a process stream or a sample is disclosed. The analyser includes a collimated X-ray source to produce a diverging beam of polychromatic X-rays, and an energy resolving X-ray detector, and a substantially X-ray transparent member having the form of a solid of revolution which is circularly symmetric about a central axis between the collimated X-ray source and the energy resolving X-ray detector, an outer surface of the X-ray transparent member positionable adjacent the material to be analysed. A primary beam collimator is disposed adjacent to or within the substantially X-ray transparent member to substantially prevent direct transmission of polychromatic X-rays emitted from the source to the detector. The analyser is configured such that the diverging beam of polychromatic X-rays are directed towards the substantially X-ray transparent member, and where the energy resolving X-ray detector collects a portion of the beam of X-rays diffracted by the material and outputs a signal containing energy information of the collected, diffracted X-rays.

Methods for drift corrected, fast, low dose, adaptive sample imaging with a charged particle microscopy system include scanning a surface region of a sample with a charged particle beam to obtain a first image of the surface region with a first detector modality, and then determining a scan strategy for the surface region. The scan strategy comprises a charged particle beam path, a first beam dwell time associated with at least one region of interest in the first image, the first beam dwell time being sufficient to obtain statistically significant data from a second detector modality, and at least a second beam dwell time associated with other regions of the first image, wherein the first beam dwell time is different than the second beam dwell time. The surface region of the sample is then scanned with the determined scan strategy to obtain data from the first and second detector.

Methods for drift corrected, fast, low dose, adaptive sample imaging with a charged particle microscopy system include scanning a surface region of a sample with a charged particle beam to obtain a first image of the surface region with a first detector modality, and then determining a scan strategy for the surface region. The scan strategy comprises a charged particle beam path, a first beam dwell time associated with at least one region of interest in the first image, the first beam dwell time being sufficient to obtain statistically significant data from a second detector modality, and at least a second beam dwell time associated with other regions of the first image, wherein the first beam dwell time is different than the second beam dwell time. The surface region of the sample is then scanned with the determined scan strategy to obtain data from the first and second detector.

There is provided a charged particle beam system in which a detector can be placed in an appropriate analysis position. The charged particle beam system (100) includes: a charged particle source (11) for producing charged particles; a sample holder (20) for holding a sample (S); a detector (40) for detecting, in the analysis position, a signal produced from the sample (S) by impingement of the charged particles on the sample (S); a drive mechanism (42) for moving the detector (40) into the analysis position; and a controller (52) for controlling the drive mechanism (42). The controller (52) performs the steps of: obtaining information about the type of the sample holder (20); determining the analysis position on the basis of the obtained information about the type of the sample holder (20); and controlling the drive mechanism (42) to move the detector (40) into the determined analysis position.

Methods for drift corrected, fast, low dose, adaptive sample imaging with a charged particle microscopy system include scanning a surface region of a sample with a charged particle beam to obtain a first image of the surface region with a first detector modality, and then determining a scan strategy for the surface region. The scan strategy comprises a charged particle beam path, a first beam dwell time associated with at least one region of interest in the first image, the first beam dwell time being sufficient to obtain statistically significant data from a second detector modality, and at least a second beam dwell time associated with other regions of the first image, wherein the first beam dwell time is different than the second beam dwell time. The surface region of the sample is then scanned with the determined scan strategy to obtain data from the first and second detector.

Methods for drift corrected, fast, low dose, adaptive sample imaging with a charged particle microscopy system include scanning a surface region of a sample with a charged particle beam to obtain a first image of the surface region with a first detector modality, and then determining a scan strategy for the surface region. The scan strategy comprises a charged particle beam path, a first beam dwell time associated with at least one region of interest in the first image, the first beam dwell time being sufficient to obtain statistically significant data from a second detector modality, and at least a second beam dwell time associated with other regions of the first image, wherein the first beam dwell time is different than the second beam dwell time. The surface region of the sample is then scanned with the determined scan strategy to obtain data from the first and second detector.

In an embodiment a method for operating a radiation detection system having at least one radiation detector and at least one signal filter includes supplying an input signal to the at least one signal filter by the at least one radiation detector, the input signal having step-shaped signal rises, each step-shaped signal rise having a rise time, determining the rise time of a respective step-shaped signal rise, specifying a waiting time for the respective step-shaped signal rise in each case such that the waiting time is greater than or equal to the rise time of the respective step-shaped signal rise and producing an output signal of the at least one signal filter, data point pairs of the input signal being processed in which a time interval of data points from each other is equal to the waiting time for the respective step-shaped signal rise, wherein at least 80% of rise times of the step-shaped signal rises lie between 10 ns and 800 ns inclusive, and wherein the at least one radiation detector includes a silicon drift detector having a radiation entry window of at least 5 mm.sup.2.

In an embodiment a method for operating a radiation detection system having at least one radiation detector and at least one signal filter includes supplying an input signal to the at least one signal filter by the at least one radiation detector, the input signal having step-shaped signal rises, each step-shaped signal rise having a rise time, determining the rise time of a respective step-shaped signal rise, specifying a waiting time for the respective step-shaped signal rise in each case such that the waiting time is greater than or equal to the rise time of the respective step-shaped signal rise and producing an output signal of the at least one signal filter, data point pairs of the input signal being processed in which a time interval of data points from each other is equal to the waiting time for the respective step-shaped signal rise, wherein at least 80% of rise times of the step-shaped signal rises lie between 10 ns and 800 ns inclusive, and wherein the at least one radiation detector includes a silicon drift detector having a radiation entry window of at least 5 mm.sup.2.

Techniques for processing ore include the steps of causing an imaging capture system to record a plurality of images of a stream of ore fragments en route from a first location in an ore processing facility to a second location in the ore processing facility; correlating the plurality of images of the stream of ore fragments with at least one or more characteristics of the ore fragments using a machine learning model that includes a plurality of ore parameter measurements associated with the one or more characteristics of the ore fragments; determining, based on the correlation, at least one of the one or more characteristics of the ore fragments; and generating, for display on a user computing device, data indicating the one or more characteristics of the ore fragments or data indicating an action or decision based on the one or more characteristics of the ore fragments.

Techniques for processing ore include the steps of causing an imaging capture system to record a plurality of images of a stream of ore fragments en route from a first location in an ore processing facility to a second location in the ore processing facility; correlating the plurality of images of the stream of ore fragments with at least one or more characteristics of the ore fragments using a machine learning model that includes a plurality of ore parameter measurements associated with the one or more characteristics of the ore fragments; determining, based on the correlation, at least one of the one or more characteristics of the ore fragments; and generating, for display on a user computing device, data indicating the one or more characteristics of the ore fragments or data indicating an action or decision based on the one or more characteristics of the ore fragments.