1. An apparatus for automatic analysis of size and shape of a plurality of sample objects selected from minerals, rocks, gravel, natural, manufactured or recycled aggregates and the like, the apparatus comprising: a) a feeder unit for feeding said objects interspaced in a stream onto a conveying belt, b) an illumination source that casts a coHimated beam of light across said conveying belt, c) image capturing means comprising at least one image detector for capturing an image of the reflection of said planar beam illuminating said object, the apparatus further comprising a control system being provided with processing means having stored therein a computer program and a memory for controlling mechanical and hardware parts of the equipment and for storing captured images, the control system being adapted to process a sequence of images of said object to automatically determine the size, and shape of said objects and returning parameters representing the size and shape of the objects, said shape parameters including parameters indicating form and angularity.