**1.2. Initial studies on minerals breakage**

It is reported in a review paper by Fitzgibbon and Veasey, 19905, that work on the use of thermal treatment to aid in rock breakage during comminution processes began again early in the 20th century, with practical studies on Cornish tin ores (Yates, 1919) 6and quartzites (Holman, 1927)7. Fitzgibbon and Veasey, 1990, report that this early work showed that the thermal pretreatment of ores before comminution resulted not only in a reduction in the strength of the ores studied, but also in fewer fines being produced. Work by Myer, 19258, and Holman, 1927, also studied the dependence of the susceptibility of ores to heat treatment on particle size and concluded that the effectiveness of the treatment decreased with particle size (Fitzgibbon and Veasey, 1990).
