Determining Dielectric Properties of Coal and Limestone by Measurements on Pulverized Samples

Estimates for the permittivities of solid coal and limestone at 11.7 GHz and 20°C are obtained from measurements of the permittivities and bulk densities of pulverized samples and the particle material density. Linear regressions of the cube root of the dielectric constant on sample bulk density provide estimates of the dielectric constants of the solid materials. Since linearity with bulk density of the cube root of the dielectric constant is consistent with the Landau & Lifshitz, Looyenga dielectric mixture equation, that equation provides estimates for both the dielectric constant and loss factor when the relative complex permittivities are used for the calculation.