Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Ore Sorting'

Bibliography: leaves 99-101.
Automatic ore sorting machines are in common use in the mining industry. These machines generally separate valuable mineral-bearing rocks from waste rocks. At the Premier Diamond Mine in South Africa kimberlite, a diamond-bearing rock is separated from gabbro which is a waste rock. Work had been conducted previously in the Department of Electrical Engineering at the University of Cape Town to find a viable method for discriminating between gabbro and kimberlite. A technique using microwave irradiation attenuation was successful when using parallel-sided smooth-surfaced rocks. This technique used linearly polarized square antennas at 35GHz. Problems were experienced, however, with irregu1arly shaped rock s. The aim of the present study was therefore to deve1op a technique which will sort irregularly shaped rocks and eliminate the problems associated with them.

With sensor-based ore sorting attracting more attention among the industry leaders, and in an effort to show the potential for sensor-based ore sorting technology, this research takes a particle sorting approach and looks at sorting low-grade and waste rock stockpiles to concentrate the misplaced mineralized rocks and generate value. The results from the optical sensor showed that where there was a visual distinction between the mineralized and gangue material, this sensor managed to identify each group well. Despite using a multivariate linear regression (MLR) analysis, the electromagnetic sensor did not predict the grades effectively. The X-Ray Transmission (XRT) sensor performed quite well for both base metal and gold samples. One recurring problem was the presence of iron minerals such as pyrite that, due to their relatively high atomic density, tarnished the sorting results. With elemental distinguishing capabilities, the X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) sensor boasts great potential for ore sorting. Both single and multivariate linear regression analysis were used to analyse the results from the XRF sensor. Although, while overall satisfactory results were obtained from the XRF sensor, sensor capabilities in actual dynamic sorting cases need to be assessed. Recommendations for future work can be on different aspects of this work. One would be to try to improve the static, bench-top testing facilities so they represent dynamic sorting scenarios better, such as use of a conveyor-type platform where rocks can pass under a sensor. If a similar study is to be performed, it is highly suggested to focus the efforts on one mine, one size fraction (preferably -50 mm +37.5 mm) with a larger number of particles. In terms of continuation of this work, it would be best to take these tests to the next level and perform bulk sorting tests to determine how these bench-scale tests correlate with bulk dynamic sorting results. Also, a detailed economic analysis based on these results would yield valuable results.
Applied Science, Faculty of
Mining Engineering, Keevil Institute of
Graduate

Mining companies typically process all the material extracted from a mine site using processes which are extremely consumptive of energy and chemicals. Sorting this material more effectively would reduce the resources required. A high-throughput rock-sorting machine developed by MineSense™ Technologies Ltd. provides the sensors and diverting equipment. After receiving noisy sensor data, the sorting system has 400 ms to decide whether to activate the diverters which will divert the rocks into either a keep or a discard bin. The problem tackled in this thesis is to sort an unknown number of rocks by sensing their mineralogy, position, and size using electromagnetic sensors and diverting them according to how valuable the mineral is to the mine. In real-time we must interpret the sensor data and compute the best action to take. We model the problem with a relational influence diagram which shows relations between random variables, decision variables, and utility nodes. We learn the model offline and do online inference. Inference is achieved using a combination of exhaustive and random search. The model parameters are learned using Sequential Model-based Algorithm Configuration (SMAC). We simulate the diverters for offline evaluation and evaluate our solution on recorded sensor data. Our result improves over the current state-of-the-art across the entire range of utility.
Science, Faculty of
Computer Science, Department of
Graduate

With extraction of low-grade and high throughput deposits, elimination of tonnes of uneconomic material is highly desired to reduce energy consumption and water usage in the mine/mill production cycle. Even though technologies such as sensor-based sorting has wide application for pre-concentration purposes, effectiveness of sorter systems and key parameters for sortability of a material are still in the developmental stage. Number of factors such as grade variability, mineralogical alteration and ore blending scenarios during material handling will significantly affect contents of a material resulting in unforeseen changes in downstream processes. For these reasons, the ‘ore heterogeneity’ parameter is studied to evaluate sortability of an ore material under varying mine production scenarios. Production data, drillhole data and representative drawpoint samples were provided from the New Afton copper-gold mine located near Kamloops, BC. The New Afton mine utilizes the block caving method for extraction of ore from the copper-gold alkali-porphyry deposit. The distribution heterogeneity (DH) parameter is estimated for the data sets and the quantity of potentially removable material ahead of delivery to mill is studied. The DH is defined by variation of grade of a group of samples that constitute a lot, i.e. a group being an equal tonnage of material drawn from a drawpoint and the lot being the drawpoint. With this approach, the DH is analyzed across drawpoints, vertically within a drawpoint and along drill holes with changing vertical intervals of 0.5m – 10m. The DH values are compared with copper grades and an inverse relationship is found. This finding indicated that sortability of ore material can be defined by a heterogeneity parameter, especially the information can be obtained earlier from drillcore samples. The drillcore information can indicate a measure of heterogeneity and related copper grade of an in-situ material in advance of assay samples or sensor detection where a certain degree of mixing has occurred. Overall, 27% of the sample data from the New Afton historical production record has grades less than 0.4% Cu, which is the current cut-off grade, and it correlates with relatively high heterogeneity and presents an opportunity for sorting and feed grade upgrade.
Applied Science, Faculty of
Mining Engineering, Keevil Institute of
Graduate

The viability of using pulsed laser excited Raman spectroscopy as a method for diamond detection from ore, has been investigated. In this method the spontaneous Stokes Raman signal is used as indicator of diamond, and a dual channel system is necessary for correcting for fluorescence of minerals and diamond itself. Various pulsed laser wavelengths from 266 to 1064nm were used, as well as cw lasers for comparison. Wavelength scans of the regions of interest, indicated that pulsed lasers at 532, 355 and 308nm may be used with confidence for this purpose. Mineral fluorescence did not appear to pose a threat to the method, but rather own fluorescence of some types of diamonds. In this respect, pulsed lasers offer a decided advantage above cw, due to nonlinear increase of fluorescence with laser power, resulting in superior Raman to fluorescence signal ratios. An apparatus constructed for discriminating diamond from ore was evaluated, and using minerals commonly occurring in diamond carrying ore as well as a wide variety of diamonds, it proved to function effectively. A significant improvement in the capability for diamond detection was found when pulsed lasers at 532 and 308nm were used, in comparison to the 532nm cw laser.

The viability of using pulsed laser excited Raman spectroscopy as a method for diamond detection from ore, has been investigated. In this method the spontaneous Stokes Raman signal is used as indicator of diamond, and a dual channel system is necessary for correcting for fluorescence of minerals and diamond itself. Various pulsed laser wavelengths from 266 to 1064nm were used, as well as cw lasers for comparison. Wavelength scans of the regions of interest, indicated that pulsed lasers at 532, 355 and 308nm may be used with confidence for this purpose. Mineral fluorescence did not appear to pose a threat to the method, but rather own fluorescence of some types of diamonds. In this respect, pulsed lasers offer a decided advantage above cw, due to nonlinear increase of fluorescence with laser power, resulting in superior Raman to fluorescence signal ratios. An apparatus constructed for discriminating diamond from ore was evaluated, and using minerals commonly occurring in diamond carrying ore as well as a wide variety of diamonds, it proved to function effectively. A significant improvement in the capability for diamond detection was found when pulsed lasers at 532 and 308nm were used, in comparison to the 532nm cw laser.

O cenário atual das commodities minerais tem obrigado as empresas de mineração a otimizar suas operações e buscar soluções inovadoras para manter a lucratividade desejada de suas minas, controlar os riscos envolvidos e garantir a sobrevivência do negócio. Neste contexto, com a menor disponibilidade de minérios de alto teor, os depósitos minerais remanescentes exigem a lavra e o beneficiamento de grande quantidade de massa por tonelada de metal produzido. Apesar de apresentarem um teor médio decrescente, estes depósitos frequentemente contêm regiões com minério de teor mais elevado incorporados às porções de baixo teor ou mesmo na massa estéril. Por melhor que seja o conhecimento das reservas, a lavra seletiva dessa massa de teor mais elevado é praticamente inviável operacionalmente. A forma mais eficiente de aproveitar estas reservas é por meio do processo de pré-concentração de minério por ore sorting (seleção/classificação de minério). O objetivo deste processo é remover, quanto antes possível, o material com teor não econômico. A consequência imediata é uma potencial redução dos custos de processamento e do consumo de água e energia para a mesma massa de metal produzido. Existem várias tecnologias aplicáveis em pré-concentração; este estudo é focado especificamente na apresentação e discussão dos impactos causados no empreendimento mineiro de Phu Kham (PanAust), a partir da instalação e utilização do equipamento de pré-concentração, bulk ore sorter. Este equipamento faz uso de um sensor de ressonância magnética, e tem por objetivo a separação de grandes volumes de estéril direto no transportador de correias totalmente carregado (in-pit ou correia de alimentação da usina), baseando-se nos teores medidos ou inferidos a partir de seu sensor. A pré-concentração com bulk ore sorter é fundamentalmente utilizada para aumentar a produtividade baseada na capacidade fixa da usina e atenuar os prejuízos causados pelas incertezas nas definições de teores da mina. Isto é, a partir da maior precisão no controle do teor, pode-se reduzir a diluição e a perda de minério oriundas da operacionalização e explotação das reservas minerais, controlar o teor de corte e o teor médio na alimentação da usina ou ainda separar os diversos tipos de minérios para serem tratados em diferentes rotas no processo de beneficiamento. Este trabalho estuda a viabilidade técnica e econômica da aplicação do bulk ore sorter na mina de Phu Kham, no Laos. Inicialmente a tecnologia de sorting é apresentada, juntamente com os sensores disponíveis e o sistema diversor. Os resultados econômicos foram avaliados a partir dos dados de produção da mina no ano de 2014. Sem a possibilidade da realização de estudos de amostragem, a variabilidade do minério foi estimada a partir da variância de dispersão, uma ferramenta geoestatística. A estimativa do desempenho da separação inclui os erros associados a leitura do sensor e do sistema diversor. Avaliações econômicas foram realizadas para diferentes cenários e demonstraram que o bulk ore sorter tem o potencial de aumentar a produção metálica e o lucro. Este sistema de pré-concentração permite a que apenas o material com valor agregado alimente a planta de beneficiamento.
The current scenario of mineral commodities has forced the mining companies to optimize their operations and look for innovative solutions to maintain the desired profitability of their mines, control the risks involved and ensure the survival of the business. In this context, with the depletion of high grade deposits, the remaining lower grade deposits require the mining and processing of larger volumes of material per tonne of product. These low grade deposits often contain a large proportion of barren gangue. The aim of pre-concentration is to remove this barren material at as coarse a particle size and as early in the process as possible. This has the potential to reduce processing costs, energy and water consumption and possibly ore transport requirements. There are several technologies that may be applicable for pre-concentration; this work looks specifically at bulk ore sorting. This involves the separation of a large volume of barren gangue from a fully loaded conveyor belt (in-pit or plant feed belt) based on the grade as measured or inferred from a sensor measurement. Bulk ore sorting may be used to increase the production rate through fixed plant capacity, or reduce the required size of downstream processing equipment. Uneconomic or marginal reserves may be upgraded making them economic to treat and improving the resource utilisation. Bulk ore sorting could also be used to reduce dilution and ore loss in mining operations by improving grade control, or to separate ore types to treat via different process routes. Thus, bulk ore sorting has the potential to improve the profitability and reduce the environmental impact of mining operations and may be applied in different ways. This study investigates three examples of how bulk ore sorting may be employed and the associated economic benefits. The technical and economic viability of bulk ore sorting is evaluated for a copper deposit in Laos. Bulk ore sorting technology is described briefly along with discussion of appropriate sensor and diversion systems for the copper deposit considered. The economic implications were evaluated using the actual mined material and costs from 2014 as the base-case. In the absence of sampling data, ore grade variability was estimated using geo-statistical tools based on mine grade control data. A process model of the sorter was developed considering the accuracy of the sensor measurement and errors associated with material diversion. This was used to simulate the separation performance. Economic evaluations were conducted for a number of different scenarios and demonstrated that bulk ore sorting has the potential to increase the amount of metal in product and annual profit for the operation considered. This is because it is cheaper to sort and reject below cut-off grade material contained in the plant feed than to treat this material through the processing plant. The sorter acts as a gatekeeper - only above cut-off grade material (value-adding) reports to the processing plant.

This Master of Science project is supervised by Keliber Oy in co-operating with University of Oulu. Lithium rich spodumene pegmatite deposits of Keliber Oy locate in Central Ostrobothnia, Finland. Studied deposits locate in the municipalities of Kaustinen and Kokkola. The study was focusing on mechanical separation of ore and waste rock and spatial modelling of sorting properties of the ore. The aim of the study was a development of index, that is suitable for spodumene pegmatite ores. The index is a spatial estimation of waste rock dilution within the deposit and it is defined during drill core logging. The index is describing the need and benefits for preconcentration of ore and can be used in mine planning and resource modelling. In Kaustinen region, high contrast difference between light coloured spodumene pegmatite ore and dark coloured country rocks is making optical separation methods possible to use in preconcentration. Another aim of the study was to found methods to separate spodumene pegmatite and barren pegmatite, similar in colours, by sensor-based sorting. The index was defined for one spodumene pegmatite dike of the Rapasaari deposit. The index was represented as percentages of ore from drill core interval and was defined during drill core relogging. There was made block models for black country rocks and barren pegmatite from data of relogged drill cores. Block models included the sorting index. Bench-scale sorting test was done for separation of spodumene pegmatite and barren pegmatite. Also, separation potential of sensor systems for ore and country rock was verified. The used samples were from the Syväjärvi and the Länttä deposits and they included spodumene pegmatite pieces with different grades, quartz-albite-muscovite pegmatite pieces, potassium feldspar pieces, and country rock pieces. Hyperspectral imaging test was done to the selected drill cores of the Rapasaari deposit. Hyperspectral study was done for study of mineralogy and features of spodumene pegmatites. According to the sorting index, the determined amount of waste rock within the ore dike was 15 weight percent and amount of barren pegmatite was 14 weight percent. Average lithium oxide grade of studied ore intercepts was 1.16%. In block modelling, the amount of black waste rock was 12.2 wt.% and the amount of barren pegmatite was 13.9 wt.%. The index is suitable for all ores, where ore and waste rock can be positively identified during drill core logging and sorting. In bench-scale sorting test, it was found that all sensor systems are capable to separate pegmatites and country rock. The LASER sensor system was the only one, that could positively identify differences between spodumene pegmatite and barren pegmatite. However, the LASER sensor accepted 88% of ore samples to the product (i.e. preconcentrate) but rejected 12% of the ore samples as reject (i.e. waste)
Opinnäytetyö tehtiin yhteistyössä Keliber Oy:n ja Oulun yliopiston kanssa. Työssä tutkittiin Keliber Oy:n Keski-Pohjanmaalla, Kaustisen ja Kokkolan kuntien alueella sijaitsevien litiumrikkaiden spodumeenipegmatiittien malmin ja sivukiven erottelua ja mallintamista. Työn tavoitteena oli luoda spodumeenipegmatiittimalmeille soveltuva indeksi, jonka avulla voidaan kuvata tarkasti malmin ja sivukiven määrää malmiesiintymässä alueellisesti. Indeksillä voidaan arvioida malmin esirikastamisen tarvetta ja sen tuomia hyötyjä. Se voidaan ottaa avuksi kaivos- ja louhintasuunnitteluun sekä malmiesiintymän mallintamiseen. Kaustisen alueen spodumeenipegmatiittien ja sivukivien väriero mahdollistaa sensoripohjaisten menetelmien käyttämisen esirikastusvaiheessa malmin ja sivukiven erottelussa. Lisäksi työssä tutkittiin mahdollisuutta erottaa litiumpitoinen spodumeenipegmatiitti litiumköyhästä pegmatiitista optisia menetelmiä käyttäen. Työssä määritettiin Rapasaaren spodumeenipegmatiittiesiintymän yhdelle malmijuonelle indeksi, joka kuvaa malmin ja sivukiven lajittelun tarvetta sekä sen tuomaa hyötyä. Indeksi esitettiin prosenttiosuuksina kairasydänmittaväleistä kairasydänten uudelleen raportoinnissa. Kairasydänraportoinnista saadusta tiedosta tehtiin blokkimallit, jossa kokeiltiin indeksin toimivuutta. Laboratoriomittakaavainen tutkimus sensoripohjaisen erottelun toimivuudesta malmin ja sivukiven erottelussa tehtiin Syväjärven ja Läntän spodumeenipegmatiitti- ja sivukivinäytteille. Tutkimuksessa pyrittiin erottamaan myös spodumeenipegmatiitti litiumköyhästä pegmatiitista. Näytteet sisälsivät eri pitoisuuden omaavia spodumeenipegmatiitti- ja kvartsi-albiitti-muskoviittipegmatiittikappaleita, kalimaasälpäkappaleita sekä sivukivikappaleita. Käytetyt sensorit olivat COLOR, NIR, XRT ja LASER. Hyperspektritutkimus tehtiin valituille Rapasaaren esiintymän kairasydämille. Hyperspektritutkimuksella pyrittiin selvittämään spodumeenipegmatiittien mineralogiaa sekä piirteitä, joilla se voidaan optisesti erottaa litiumköyhästä pegmatiitista. Indeksiin perustuen Rapasaaren spodumeenipegmatiittijuonen laskettiin sisältävän 15 prosenttia tummaa sivukiveä ja 14 prosenttia litiumköyhää pegmatiittia. Malmilävistyksien keskiarvoiseksi litiumoksidipitoisuudeksi saatiin 1,16 %. Blokkimallinnuksessa saatu tumman sivukiven määrä oli 12,2 %. Litiumköyhän pegmatiitin määrä oli 13,9 %. Kehitetty indeksi toimii myös muiden malmien yhteydessä. Indeksiä voidaan soveltaa, kun malmi ja sivukivi ovat erotettavissa kairasydänraportointia tehdessä. Sensoripohjaisen lajittelun todettiin erottelevan vaalea malmi ja tumma sivukivi 100 prosentin todennäköisyydellä kaikkia sensoreita käyttäen. LASER oli ainoa sensori, joka havaitsi eroja spodumeenipegmatiitin ja litiumköyhän pegmatiitin välillä. LASER-sensori hyväksyi 88% malmiksi luokitelluista kappaleista tuotteeksi, mutta hylkäsi 12 % malmikappaleista jätteeksi

Automatic sensor-based sorting is a clean preconcentration technique that can be used to separate valuable ore rock from waste rock based on the difference of the detected physical properties. This research evaluated the amenabilities of a Mississippi Valley type lead-zinc ore sample from Pend Oreille Mine to X-ray Fluorescence Sorting, X-ray Transmission Sorting, Optical Sorting and Microwave-Infrared Sorting using laboratory-scale bench-top sensing systems. A methodology for laboratory-scale quick evaluation of the amenability of an ore sample to automatic sensor-based sorting using bench-top sensor systems was generated as reference for future study. The preliminary testwork results showed that the two X-ray methods exhibited the best sorting results. About 37.7%~52.8% of the feed mass could be rejected as waste while above 95% of the lead and zinc was recovered in the product. The sorting feed (-37.5+26.5 mm) could be upgraded by a factor of 1.5~2. The optical sorting method seemed not as effective as the X-ray methods. Only 18.8% of the sorting test feed (-37.5+26.5 mm) was rejected to maintain above 95% metal recovery in the product. The test feed was upgraded by a factor of 1.2. Microwave-Infrared sorting results demonstrated that carbonate gangue mineral does not heat when exposed to microwave heating, while lead-zinc bearing sulfide does. Factors such as particle size, heating time and quantity of particles being heated at a time would influence microwave heating of rocks. Sorting feed of -19+13.2 mm presented the best segregation results after 10s of microwave heating. Above 95% of lead and zinc was recovered in a mass yield of 70% to the product. The test feed was upgraded by a factor of 1.4. The preconcentrate of X-ray Fluorescence sorting had a bond work index 12% smaller than that of the feed ore. The overall metal (lead and zinc) recoveries and grades in the flotation products were also improved after XRF sorting. The costs of both the grinding and the flotation reagent could also be reduced due to the reduction of the feed mass by rejecting the dolomitic gangue minerals up to 50%.

The objective of this research project was to develop a methodology to establish the potential of automated sorting for a minerals application. Such methodologies, have been developed for testwork in many established mineral processing disciplines. These techniques ensure that data is reproducible and that testing can be undertaken in a quick and efficient manner. Due to the relatively recent development of automated sorters as a mineral processing technique, such guidelines have yet to be established. The methodology developed was applied to two practical applications including the separation of a Ni/Cu sulphide ore. This experimentation also highlighted the advantages of multi-sensor sorting and illustrated a means by which sorters can be used as multi-output machines; generating a number of tailored concentrates for down-stream processing. This is in contrast to the traditional view of sorters as a simple binary, concentrate/waste pre-concentration technique. A further key result of the research was the emulation of expert-based training using unsupervised clustering techniques and neural networks for colour quantisation. These techniques add flexibility and value to sorters in the minerals industry as they do not require a trained expert and so allow machines to be optimised by mine operators as conditions vary. The techniques also have an advantage as they complete the task of colour quantisation in a fraction of the time taken for an expert and so lend themselves well to the quick and efficient determination of automated sorting for a minerals application. Future research should focus on the advancement and application of neural networks to colour quantisation in conjunction with tradition training methods Further to this research should concentrate on practical applications utilising a multi-sensor, multi-output approach to automated sorting.

The objective of this research was to develop a protocol/ methodology to determine the potential for an ore to be sorted using sensor-based sorting. The research builds upon previous methodologies in literature to determine ore sortability. The first attempt to create a standard methodology to assess the amenability of an ore to sorting at a pilot-scale was developed by Fitzpatrick (2008). Tong (2012) developed a methodology to assess the amenability of an ore to sensor-based sorting on an ideal laboratory-scale. These methodologies focus on determining the upgrading potential of an ore based on ore sorting amenability tests. In order to gain further acceptance of sorting technology in the mining industry, Lessard et al. (2015) developed a method to determine the impact of ore sorting on an operation from an economic perspective. The protocol, developed during the current research, is used to determine the potential ore sortability based, firstly, on intrinsic particle properties and, secondly, based on laboratory-scale sensor sortability tests using ideal and industrial sensor measurement parameters. The intrinsic sortability results represent the ideal/ best- case sortability if a perfect separator existed and are calculated based on particle-by-particle ore characterisation. Ore that is intrinsically sortable is further assessed based on ideal laboratory-scale sensor sort ability tests using selected sensors. Ore sorting sensors that show potential based on the ideal sensor tests are further assessed by determining the sort ability of the ore using sensor measurement parameters similar to those used on industrial-scale ore sorting machines

For future development of automated sensor-based sorting in the mining industry, an improvement in the separation efficiency of the equipment is desirable. This could be achieved through a better understanding of the identification and separation aspects of the automated sorter. For automated sorters that undertake separation through the use of compressed air jets, the problem of poor separation efficiency has been linked with co-deflection losses. Co-deflection losses occur as particles meant to pass on to the ‘accept’ bin are co-deflected with the particles (which are to be deflected) meant to go to the ‘reject’ bin. To study co-deflection losses and suggest means of improving automated sorter separation efficiency, this research investigates the effects of particle size, shape, throughput, together with the proportion of particles (out of the total test batch) required to be deflected on separation efficiency. The effect of the air valve configuration on separation efficiency was also studied. Presented also is a mathematical model which could be used to predict automated sorter separation efficiency. All separation efficiency investigations were undertaken using a TiTech Combisense© (BSM 063) automated sorter. Samples of granite were sized into -20+15mm, -15+10mm and -10+6mm size fractions and grouped into cubic and flaky shape fractions. These fractions were then divided into two with one portion painted for colour separation efficiency investigations. The separation efficiency results confirmed earlier research indicating that particle size and the fraction requiring deflection affects separation efficiency, with separation efficiency decreasing with a decrease in particle size and an increase in throughput. It was observed that co-deflection loss occurs when correctly identified ‘accept’ particles are co-deflected due to their close proximity to ‘reject’ particles that are to be deflected. Observations from the tests indicate that an increase in the proportion of particles requiring deflection increases the probability of finding ‘accept’ particles in close proximity to ‘reject’ particles leading to co-deflections. Monte Carlo simulations were used to produce a random distribution of particles on the conveyor belt as would be obtained from actual investigations. From these simulations particle proximity relationships and particle co-deflections were studied. Results indicate that the Monte Carlo simulations under-predicts particle proximity associations. The effect of shape on co-deflection was investigated with results indicating that flaky shaped particles produce higher number of co-deflections compared to cubic shaped particles. It was also observed that the valve sensitivity determined from valve opening and closing times is of importance to the selectivity (precision) of the separating air jets. A mathematical separation efficiency model is presented which contains two variables, the belt loading (calculated using particle size, shape and throughput) and the particle fraction of the total test batch that are to be deflected (% deflection). The separation efficiency can be calculated once these two variables are determined.

O COMEX Lab-Sorter MSX-400-VL-XR-3D (Sorter) foi avaliado, sob diferentes condições operacionais em relação a sua capacidade de realizar testes de pré-concentração em escala laboratorial, visando o uso dos resultados gerados para aplicação industrial. Para tal, 24 testes de separação (bem como mais testes de calibração) foram realizados para dois minérios diferentes (a base de ferro e zinco). Nesses testes, aproximadamente 73 kg de minério foram avaliados para fins de separação no equipamento acima citado. Este mostrou a capacidade de aumentar o teor do minério de ferro acima de 60% Fe, aproveitando assim de 46% da massa do material no tamanho Lump (-31 +12,7mm) que era anteriormente classificado como rejeito pela mina e tinha um teor de apenas 53% de Fe. Com respeito do Zinco, o equipamento recuperou 93% do minério de zinco, aumentando seu teor acima de 27% Zn. Dessa forma, o Sorter eliminou 27% da massa do ROM a ser alimentado na planta de benefíciamento da mina de zinco. As configurações de porcentagem ideal para o ferro eram de 150-220 threshold e 75% porcentagem, e para o zinco as configurações ideais eram de 0-100 threshold para a granulometria maior (-50 +19 mm) e de 0-150 para a granulometria menor (-25 +8mm), ambos com 75% porcentagem.
The MS-400-VL-XR-3D COMEX Lab-Sorter (Sorter) was evaluated under different operating conditions for its ability to carry out pre-concentration tests at the laboratory scale, with the intention of using the results generated for industrial application. To this end, 24 separation tests (and many more calibration tests) were performed for two different ores (iron and zinc). In these tests, more than 73 kg of ore was passed, particle per particle in the equipment. The Sorter showed the ability to increase the iron ore content to over 60% Fe, thus taking advantage of 46% of the mass of the Lump size material (-31 + 12.7mm) that was previously classified as waste and had a grade of only 53% Fe. With respect to Zinc, the Sorter recovered 93% of the zinc ore, increasing its content above 27% Zn. In this way, the Sorter eliminated 27% of the ROM mass to be fed into the zinc mine beneficiation plant. The ideal percentage configurations for the iron were 150-220 threshold and 75% percentage, and for zinc the ideal configurations were 0-100 threshold for the large particle size (-50 +19 mm) and 0-150 for the small particle size (-25 + 8mm), both with 75% percentage.

Around 4% of global electricity consumption is used for comminution in the mining industry. Falling head grades and increasingly complex fine grained ores mean that additional material must be processed to meet the rising demand for metal commodities. Ore sorting technologies have the potential to provide a step change in energy use by rejecting uneconomic material before it enters the comminution flowsheet. Microwave sorting of ores in combination with infra-red analysis of fragments has been shown in the literature to provide upgraded feedstock for certain ores at bench scale. In this thesis, Pilot scale microwave sorting tests of porphyry copper ores indicated that deviation from intrinsic sortability is due to the presence of microwave susceptible hydrated clay minerals within the gangue, with approximately twice the mass of copper sulphides to clay minerals required to achieve equivalent temperature rise. Pilot scale radio frequency sorting tests were undertaken using a novel methodology to mitigate shape effects. They revealed significantly enhanced correlations between fragment temperature rise and clay mineral content, particularly for the higher moisture content ores. The effects of ore fragment texture on IR thermal profiles were investigated using experimentally validated numerical modelling. Whilst different fragment textures lead to the development of significantly different thermal profiles, increasing the measurement delay time between electromagnetic heating and surface thermal profiling reduces the difference between fragments of the same grade but with different textures. Testing of synthetic fragments containing varying grades of pyrite and clay indicated that semiconducting minerals cannot be heated successfully in pure electric fields. Induction heating trials showed that semi-conducting and magnetic minerals heat well in magnetic fields compared to rock forming minerals. Induction heating potential measurements showed that samples from different geological sources have different magnetic heating behaviour; coarser grains were shown to heat better than finer grains.

Darbo apimtis 45 puslapiai, tame tarpe 31 paveikslas. Literatūros sąraše 51 šaltinis. Darbo pradžia 2009 09 01, pabaiga 2011 05 10. Tikslas. Ištirti grikių grūdų sklaidą nuožulniajame oro sraute. Literatūros apžvalgoje atlikta sėklų rūšiavimo būdų mokslinių tyrimų apžvalga. Atlikta grūdų valomųjų analizė bei teorinių tyrimų apžvalga. Laboratoriniais tyrimais nustatytos grikių grūdų aerodinaminės savybės ir drėgnis. Eksperimentiniais tyrimais nustatyta grikių grūdų sklaida nuožulniajame oro sraute, keičiant oro srauto greitį, kampą bei grikių grūdų srautą. Tyrimų rezultatais pagrįsta, kad grikių grūdus rūšiuojant nuožulniajame oro sraute, rekomenduojamas oro srauto greitis 10 m/s, oro srauto kampas 3 laipsniai ir grikių grūdų srautas 0,9 kg(m/s). Nustatant grikių grūdų rūšiavimo parametrus būtina atsižvelgti į dėžutėse subirusių 1000 grūdų masę. Tinkamai parinkus nuožulniojo oro srauto parametrus grikių grūdus galima rūšiuoti oro srautu.
This work consists of 45 pages, including 31 figures. There are 51 entries in the references. This work was started on the 1 st of September 2009 and it was finished on the 10th of May 2011. The object of the work. To investigate the dissemination of buckwheat grain at the bevelled air flow. The analysis studies of seed sorting techniques is made in the literature review. The research work review of grain cleaner and theoretical studies is also done. The critical speed and humidity of buckwheat grain is established by laboratory studies. Experimental studies have shown the buckwheat grain dissemination at the bevelled air flow, by changing the supply of buckwheat flow, air flow speed and angle. It was determined, that recommended buckwheat sorting at the bevelled air flow is the most effective at 10 m/s air flow rate of 0,9 kg(m/s) shall be filed in buckwheat grain flow and air flow 3 angle. In determining the screening parameters of buckwheat sorting, must be taken into account 1000 grain weight. Properly selected the parameters of beveled air flow, buckwheat can be sorting by the air flow.

Complex systems offer broad, unique research challenges due to their inability to be understood through a classic reductionist perspective, as they exhibit emergent phenomena that arise through the interactions of their components. In this thesis, we briefly review some characteristics of complex systems and the interplay of mathematical and computational methods to study them. We then discuss these approaches, how they are implemented, and how they support one another in three settings. First, we present a study that connects weather data to seasonal population-abundance of mosquitoes, using a microscopic model. Secondly, we consider the collective motions that arise in ensembles of disks interacting through non-elastic collisions and investigate how such behaviors affect macroscopic transport properties. Finally, we consider a 'self-sorting' one-dimensional collection of point-particles. In all of these cases, agent-based models and simulations are used to guide analysis, and in the final example, we explain how the simulations led to new theorems. Articles and molecular dynamics computer codes are provided as appendices.

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Cellular automata are discrete complex systems and also fully distributed computational systems, with arbitrarily simple local processing. One of computations that can be made with cellular automata is sorting of numerical sequences. Sorting is a quite relevant topic and widely used in computing, as one of its fundamental processes. This research aimed at the development of sorting algorithms based on one-dimensional cellular automata. Two new versions with range 1 and 3 have been proposed, inspired by the characteristics of existing studies in the literature. In the analysis carried out, the proposed cellular automata have advantages over the approaches that originated them.
Autômatos celulares são sistemas complexos discretos e também sistemas computacionais totalmente distribuídos, com processamento local arbitrariamente simples. Uma das computações que se pode realizar com autômatos celulares é a ordenação de sequências numéricas. A ordenação é um tema bastante relevante e utilizado amplamente na computação, como um de seus processos fundamentais. A presente pesquisa visou o desenvolvimento de algoritmos de ordenação baseados em autômatos celulares unidimensionais. Foram propostas duas novas versões, de raios 1 e 3, inspirados por características de trabalhos existentes na literatura. Em análise realizada, os autômatos celulares propostos apresentam vantagens com relação às abordagens que lhes deram origem.

Le thème principal de cette thèse est la combinaison de deux ressources opposées, à savoir le gain de multiplexage correspondant à plusieurs antennes et le gain de multidiffusion obtenu dans les communications avec cache. Plusieurs antennes, ou plusieurs émetteurs avec mémoire cache, fournissent des gains accrus en séparant spatialement les utilisateurs, créant ainsi un parallèle les messages, lors de la mise en cache codée, fusionnent les messages en exploitant le contenu mis en cache et non souhaité pour supprimer les interférences. Ainsi, à première vue, les gains de multiplexage et de mise en cache codés semblent s’opposer. Les efforts pour combiner les deux ont montré que les gains semblaient être additifs, c’est-à-dire dans un canal de radiodiffusion (BC) MISO (Multiple Input Multiple Output), où une station de base équipée d’antennes émettrices L répond aux Les utilisateurs recevant une seule antenne et dotés d'une mémoire cache somme de t peuvent recevoir la performance optimale de la commande DoF de DL = L + t . Nous montrerons dans cette thèse que, dans de nombreux scénarios, l'association des gains de multiplexage avec la mise en cache codée peut constituer une combinaison beaucoup plus puissante, qui peut considérablement améliorer les limitations majeures de la mise en cache codée et du précodage d'antennes. Un exemple notable, qui sera prouvé dans cette thèse, est le rôle de plusieurs antennes dans l’amélioration de la fameuse contrainte de sous-paquetage, c’est-à-dire la limitation qu’un gain de mise en cache codé égal à t exige que chaque fichier soit segmenté de manière exponentielle, gagne t , nombre de paquets. Dans les systèmes pratiques, cela peut facilement dépasser de plusieurs ordres de grandeur le nombre de bits d'un fichier, imposant ainsi des limites strictes aux gains de mise en cache [...]
The main theme of this thesis is the combination of two opposing resources, namely the multiplexing gain, corresponding to multiple antennas, and the multicasting gain achieved in cache-aided communications. Multiple antennas, or multiple transmitters with caches, provide increased gains by separating messages, while coded caching merges messages together by exploiting cached and unwanted content to remove interference. Thus, at a first look, multiplexing and coded caching gains seem to be opposing to one another. Efforts to combine the two have shown that the gains appear to be additive. For example, in the Multiple-Input-Multiple-Output (MISO) Broadcast Channel (BC) where a Base Station, equipped with L transmit antennas, serves the demands of K receiving, single antenna users, asking files from a library of popular files, when users are equipped with caches, amounting to a total sum cache-size of t times the whole library, this network can provide the order optimal Degrees-of-Freedom (DoF) performance of D=L+t. What we will show in this thesis is that, in many scenarios, pairing the multiplexing gains with coded caching can be a much more powerful combination, which can dramatically improve major fundamental limitations of both coded caching and multiple antenna precoding. A notable example, that will be proved in this thesis, is the role of multiple antennas on dramatically ameliorating the infamous subpacketization constraint i.e., the limitation that a coded caching gain equal to t requires each file to be segmented to an exponential number of packets. This, in practical systems can easily surpass the number of bits of a file by many orders of magnitude, thus imposing hard limits on caching gains [...]

La tendance actuelle dans le domaine des télécommunications mène à des systèmes capables de fonctionner selon plusieurs standards, et donc plusieurs fréquences porteuses. La synthèse de la fréquence porteuse est un élément clef, dont les propriétés reposent essentiellement sur les performances de l'oscillateur employé. Pour assurer le fonctionnement de systèmes compatibles avec plusieurs standards de télécommunication, la solution conventionnelle consiste à intégrer plusieurs oscillateurs locaux. Cette solution est coûteuse, d'autant plus que, malgré le fait que les technologies actuelles atteignent des niveaux d'intégration très importants, la surface occupée par des oscillateurs traditionnels de type LC ne peut pas être diminuée, alors que le coût de fabrication au millimètre carré devient de plus en plus élevé. Il serait donc très intéressant de remplacer les oscillateurs LC, ce qui nous amène à rechercher des solutions alternatives parmi de nouvelles technologies. L'oscillateur spintronique (STO) est un nouveau dispositif issu des études sur les couches minces magnétiques. Il apparait comme un candidat potentiel de remplacement des oscillateurs LC du fait de sa grande accordabilité en fréquence et de son faible encombrement. Toutefois des mesures effectuées sur les STOs ont montré que la performance en puissance et en bruit de phase d'un oscillateur seul ne permet pas de remplir les spécifications pour des applications de télécommunication. Nous proposons de remplir ces spécifications en couplant un nombre d'oscillateurs spintroniques important. Dans ce cadre se posent plusieurs questions qui concernent les procédures de modélisation, d'analyse et de synthèse des systèmes interconnectés. Les procédures de modélisation incluent la démarche de recherche de modèles à complexité croissante qui décrivent les propriétés entrée-sortie d'un oscillateur spintronique, ainsi que la démarche de généralisation des modèles des oscillateurs dans le cadre du réseau. Les procédures d'analyse cherchent à vérifier la stabilité et évaluer la performance des systèmes interconnectés. Les procédures de synthèse permettent de concevoir des interconnexions sophistiquées pour les oscillateurs afin d'assurer toutes les spécifications du cahier des charges. Dans ce document, nous établissons tout d'abord le problème de la synthèse de fréquence par couplage avec un cahier des charges formalisé en termes de gabarits fréquentiels sur des densités spectrales de puissance. Le cahier des charges posé amène la nécessité de modéliser l'oscillateur spintronique pour pouvoir simuler et analyser son comportement. Ici, nous proposons une modélisation originale selon des degrés de complexité croissante. Ensuite, nous discutons de la structure de la commande de l'ensemble des oscillateurs afin de remplir les spécifications du cahier des charges. La structure de commande proposée nécessite de développer une méthode de conception des interconnexions du réseau d'après les critères de performance. Dans les deux derniers chapitres, nous proposons deux méthodes fréquentielles de synthèse originales pour résoudre le problème de synthèse de fréquence par couplage. La première méthode de synthèse permet de prendre en compte un critère mathématique du cahier des charges, qui correspond à un gabarit fréquentiel à respecter, et permet d'obtenir une matrice d'interconnexion des sous-systèmes, telle que le module de la réponse fréquentielle du réseau approxime le gabarit imposé par le cahier des charges. La deuxième méthode de synthèse permet de prendre en compte plusieurs gabarits fréquentiels à la fois. La solution obtenue est une matrice d'interconnexion des sous-systèmes, qui résout le problème de la synthèse de fréquence par couplage d'oscillateurs spintroniques.

O Vírus da Imunodeficiência Humana (HIV) é o agente etiológico da Síndrome da Imunodeficiência Adquirida (AIDS). A AIDS é uma doença de distribuição mundial, e estima-se que existam atualmente pelo menos 36,9 milhões de pessoas infectadas com o vírus. Durante o seu ciclo replicativo, o HIV promove diversas alterações na fisiologia da célula hospedeira a fim de promover sua sobrevivência e potencializar a replicação. A rápida progressão da infecção pelo HIV-1 em humanos e em modelos animais está intimamente ligada à função da proteína acessória Nef. Dentre as diversas ações de Nef está a regulação negativa de proteínas importantes na resposta imunológica, como o receptor CD4. Sabe-se que esta ação resulta da indução da degradação de CD4 em lisossomos, mas os mecanismos moleculares envolvidos ainda são totalmente elucidados. Nef forma um complexo tripartite com a cauda citosólica de CD4 e a proteína adaptadora 2 (AP-2), em vesículas revestidas por clatrina nascentes, induzindo a internalização e degradação lisossomal de CD4. Pesquisas anteriores demonstraram que o direcionamento de CD4 aos lisossomos por Nef envolve a entrada do receptor na via dos corpos multivesiculares (MVBs), por um mecanismo atípico, pois, embora não necessite da ubiquitinação de carga, depende da ação de proteínas que compõem os ESCRTs (Endosomal Sorting Complexes Required for Transport) e da ação de Alix, uma proteína acessória da maquinaria ESCRT. Já foi reportado que Nef interage com subunidades dos complexos AP-1, AP-2, AP-3 e Nef não parece interagir com subunidades de AP-4 e AP-5. Entretanto, o papel da interação de Nef com AP-1 e AP-3 na regulação negativa de CD4 ainda não está totalmente elucidado. Ademais, AP-1, AP-2 e AP-3 são potencialmente heterogêneos devido à existência de isoformas múltiplas das subunidades codificadas por diferentes genes. Todavia, existem poucos estudos para demonstrar se as diferentes combinações de isoformas dos APs são formadas e se possuem propriedades funcionais distintas. O presente trabalho procurou identificar e caracterizar fatores celulares envolvidos na regulação do tráfego intracelular de proteínas no processo de regulação negativa de CD4 induzido por Nef. Mais especificamente, este estudo buscou caracterizar a participação do complexo AP-1 na modulação negativa de CD4 por Nef de HIV-1, através do estudo funcional das duas isoformas de ?-adaptina, subunidades de AP-1. Utilizando a técnica de Pull-down demonstramos que Nef é capaz de interagir com ?2. Além disso, nossos dados de Imunoblot indicaram que a proteína ?2-adaptina, e não ?1-adaptina, é necessária no processo de degradação lisossomal de CD4 por Nef e que esta participação é conservada para degradação de CD4 por Nef de diferentes cepas virais. Ademais, por citometria de fluxo, o silenciamento de ?2, e não de ?1, compromete a diminuição dos níveis de CD4 por Nef da membrana plasmática. A análise por imunofluorêsncia indireta também revelou que a diminuição dos níveis de ?2 impede a redistribuição de CD4 por Nef para regiões perinucleares, acarretando no acúmulo de CD4, retirados por Nef da membrana plasmática, em endossomos primários. A depleção de ?1A, outra subunidade de AP-1, acarretou na diminuição dos níveis celulares de ?2 e ?1, bem como, no comprometimento da eficiente degradação de CD4 por Nef. Além disso, foi possível observar que, ao perturbar a maquinaria ESCRT via super-expressão de HRS (uma subunidade do complexo ESCRT-0), ocorreu um acumulo de ?2 em endossomos dilatados contendo HRS-GFP, nos quais também detectou-se CD4 que foi internalizado por Nef. Em conjunto, os resultados indicam que ?2-adaptina é uma importante molécula para o direcionamento de CD4 por Nef para a via ESCRT/MVB, mostrando ser uma proteína relevante no sistema endo-lisossomal. Ademais, os resultados indicaram que as isoformas ?-adaptinas não só possuem funções distintas, mas também parecem compor complexos AP-1 com diferentes funções celulares, já que apenas a variante AP-1 contendo ?2, mas não ?1, participa da regulação negativa de CD4 por Nef. Estes estudos contribuem para o melhor entendimento dos mecanismos moleculares envolvidos na atividade de Nef, que poderão também ajudar na melhor compreensão da patogênese do HIV e da síndrome relacionada. Em adição, este trabalho contribui para o entendimento de processos fundamentais da regulação do tráfego de proteínas transmembrana no sistema endo-lisossomal.
The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is the etiologic agent of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). AIDS is a disease which has a global distribution, and it is estimated that there are currently at least 36.9 million people infected with the virus. During the replication cycle, HIV promotes several changes in the physiology of the host cell to promote their survival and enhance replication. The fast progression of HIV-1 in humans and animal models is closely linked to the function of an accessory protein Nef. Among several actions of Nef, one is the most important is the down-regulation of proteins from the immune response, such as the CD4 receptor. It is known that this action causes CD4 degradation in lysosome, but the molecular mechanisms are still incompletely understood. Nef forms a tripartite complex with the cytosolic tail of the CD4 and adapter protein 2 (AP-2) in clathrin-coated vesicles, inducing CD4 internalization and lysosome degradation. Previous research has demonstrated that CD4 target to lysosomes by Nef involves targeting of this receptor to multivesicular bodies (MVBs) pathway by an atypical mechanism because, although not need charging ubiquitination, depends on the proteins from ESCRTs (Endosomal Sorting Complexes Required for Transport) machinery and the action of Alix, an accessory protein ESCRT machinery. It has been reported that Nef interacts with subunits of AP- 1, AP-2, AP-3 complexes and Nef does not appear to interact with AP-4 and AP-5 subunits. However, the role of Nef interaction with AP-1 or AP-3 in CD4 down-regulation is poorly understood. Furthermore, AP-1, AP-2 and AP-3 are potentially heterogeneous due to the existence of multiple subunits isoforms encoded by different genes. However, there are few studies to demonstrate if the different combinations of APs isoforms are form and if they have distinct functional properties. This study aim to identify and characterize cellular factors involved on CD4 down-modulation induced by Nef from HIV-1. More specifically, this study aimed to characterize the involvement of AP-1 complex in the down-regulation of CD4 by Nef HIV-1 through the functional study of the two isoforms of ?-adaptins, AP-1 subunits. By pull-down technique, we showed that Nef is able to interact with ?2. In addition, our data from immunoblots indicated that ?2- adaptin, not ?1-adaptin, is required in Nef-mediated targeting of CD4 to lysosomes and the ?2 participation in this process is conserved by Nef from different viral strains. Furthermore, by flow cytometry assay, ?2 depletion, but not ?1 depletion, compromises the reduction of surface CD4 levels induced by Nef. Immunofluorescence microscopy analysis also revealed that ?2 depletion impairs the redistribution of CD4 by Nef to juxtanuclear region, resulting in CD4 accumulation in primary endosomes. Knockdown of ?1A, another subunit of AP-1, resulted in decreased cellular levels of ?1 and ?2 and, compromising the efficient CD4 degradation by Nef. Moreover, upon artificially stabilizing ESCRT-I in early endosomes, via overexpression of HRS, internalized CD4 accumulates in enlarged HRS-GFP positive endosomes, where co-localize with ?2. Together, the results indicate that ?2-adaptin is a molecule that is essential for CD4 targeting by Nef to ESCRT/MVB pathway, being an important protein in the endo-lysosomal system. Furthermore, the results indicate that ?-adaptins isoforms not only have different functions, but also seem to compose AP-1 complex with distinct cell functions, and only the AP-1 variant comprising ?2, but not ?1, acts in the CD4 down-regulation induced by Nef. These studies contribute to a better understanding on the molecular mechanisms involved in Nef activities, which may also help to improve the understanding of the HIV pathogenesis and the related syndrome. In addition, this work contributes with the understanding of primordial process regulation on intracellular trafficking of transmembrane proteins.

Automated optical- and radiometric sorting plants treating Witwatersrand gold ore were operational in the 1970’s and 80’s with limited success on run of mine applications. Since then sensor based sorting technology has evolved significantly in its detection capabilities and throughput capacities of the sorting machines. Over the last 8 years some gold mines have shown renewed interest in this beneficiation technology in particular to recover misplaced reef from surface waste rock dumps. This research comprises two case studies to prove the effectiveness and viability of optical sorting of Witwatersrand type conglomerate ores. The first case study deals with recovering gold reef from surface rock dumps (SRD) at Kloof Gold Mine. Over a period from 2003 to 2010 various test work campaigns and pilot plant work was carried out proving both the technical and economic viability of optical sorting. Typically the grade of a SRD ranges between 0.5 g/t to 1.0 g/t of gold. Optical sorting achieved product grades of between 1g/t and 5 g/t at a mass recovery of between 5% to 30% of feed. In 2011 a 100 t/h optical sorter plant was successfully installed at the mine as part of a stand-alone process plant for treating surface rock dump material. The second case study deals with testing waste rock sorting from run of mine ore at Central Rand Gold (CRG). The ore body can only be mined with 30% to 60% waste dilution which makes it an interesting application for coarse rock pre-beneficiation using sensor based sorting. In both case studies the gold-bearing quartz conglomerate reef could be effectively separated from waste rock by optical sorting techniques.

Although solutions for robust video processing methods, such as compression or segmentation, have been considerably investigated using general-purpose processors (GPPs), these software implementations are too slow to achieve real-time performance due to the computational complexity and memory bandwidth involved in present complex video processing methods. As such, efficient hardware accelerations are inevitable for fast, video systems. The state-of-the-art, field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) fill the gap between very inflexible, but high performance ASICs and flexible, yet performance-constrained GPPs. Thus, FPGAs are increasingly employed on hardware platforms in many signal and video processing applications. This thesis proposes an FPGA-based architecture that integrates four video processing methods (sorting, noise estimation, object detection, and contour analysis) on one FPGA, which takes a video signal and outputs a, contour filled video sequence along with the corresponding contour chain codes. The proposed architecture aims at segmenting moving objects in video signals. A video object segmentation consists of several steps: pre-processing (e.g., noise estimation), object detection (i.e., separation of objects and background), and contour analysis. The proposed architecture is simulated, synthesized and verified for its functionality, accuracy and performance on an actual hardware platform consisting of a Xilinx Virtex-4 SX35 FPGA. Compared to related work, our architecture obtains orders of magnitude performance improvements utilizing minimal hardware resources and power, and possesses key algorithmic features, which are inherently required in many video processing applications.