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A better understanding of the relation between ore fragmentation and oretexture is a key to the energy efficient extraction of targeted minerals fromlow grade ore deposits. In this study, X-ray micro-computed tomography isemployed to study mineral liberation during the tensile failure and onset offragmentation of a copper ore. We present the results of experiments based on ahigh-pressure instrument enabling micro-mechanical studies to be carried outin-situ (inside a micro-CT scanner). This experimental platform enables mappingin 3D of the evolution of a sample of copper ore during an in-situfragmentation test.  The fragmentation occurs quasi-statically via tensile-activated nucleationand growth of multiple cracks producing a complex fracture network. Couplingbreakage with microstructural information, we determine quantitatively theimpact of ore textural features on fracture patterns and mineral liberation.This information can be compared to the ore mechanical behaviour, in particularto measurements of the deformation energy, the strain deformation field or thestress relaxation response. The copper liberation, fragment size distributionand breakage patterns are statistically characterised and related to twodominant comminution mechanisms which are clearly identified in the sequence oftomographic images.  Our results show that in-situ micro-CT experiments could inform new studiesof ore fragmentation at the laboratory scale and may offer new avenues toaddress current challenges in the design of efficient comminution processes.

In-situ study of mineral liberation at the onset of fragmentation of a copper ore using X-ray micro-computed tomography