The operating cost of mining mainly depends on drilling, loading, hauling, crushing/grinding, mineral processing costs. All of these costs are directly or indirectly related with efficiency of the blasting which is mostly controlled by the particle size distribution. The visual examination is the most common method in the determination of particle size distribution. In recent years, the photographic techniques and then image processing techniques are being popular. This study presents the developed image processing technique in the determination of particle size distribution, and to utilise it for the determination of blasting efficiency. For this purpose, an image acquisition system is developed for both laboratory and field conditions to monitor blasted material. Then, a software, ROCKSIZE, is developed to implement the 2-D image processing techniques and to convert 2-D measures into 3-D particle size distribution in terms of sieve size distribution and moments of the size distribution. Finally particle size distribution results obtained from images of laboratory samples and different blasted cases from BA#x15E;TA#x15E; Limestone Quarry which is located near Elmada#x11F; are presented.
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