In challenging, fast-changing markets, exploration companies are looking for ways to cut costs and make quick decisions. Recent developments in portable x-ray fluorescence (XRF) technology (including sensitivity, analysis speed and increased instrument durability) have revolutionized the way exploration companies conduct their field programs.
Saving time on locating and refining exploration targets as well as saving money on the costs of analytics can ultimately lead to quicker discoveries.
XRF technology has applications across the mining cycle
Over the past decade, handheld XRF analyzers, commonly referred to as XRF guns by geologists in the field, have dramatically improved the way resource companies evaluate, explore and extract value from mineral projects. They have been especially effective for use in geochemistry analysis during exploration and for grade control during mining operations, and have become a must-have tool for exploration projects.
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First used in the alloy and scrap metal testing industry and then in environmental site monitoring, XRF technology is based on a type of metals-related analysis known as spectrometry. Portable XRF guns can determine the chemical signatures of a sample’s elemental composition by measuring the secondary x-ray emissions the sample gives off when exposed to x-ray fluorescence.
While the XRF gun doesn’t directly identify gold deposits, it can detect the geochemical pathfinder elements that are commonly associated with gold, the most common one being arsenic, but also silver, copper, cobalt and selenium to name a few—and it does all this in a matter of seconds.
“A pathfinder or indicator element is one that is intimately related to the style of gold deposit that a company may be looking for,” Aaron Baensch, Principal Geologist at Olympus Scientific-International Mining Group told AZO Mining. “Another positive of these geochemical signatures is that they are quite often present at a scale much larger than that of the gold deposit itself, so they can make the footprint of the target much, much bigger and, hence, easier to explore for.”
The ability to quickly acquire real-time data that is also linked to a GPS location has had a significant impact on the ability of resource exploration companies to obtain lab quality data on site for more efficient and effective field campaigns. This data is key to accurately mapping an area for anomalous concentrations of key pathfinder elements—the more precise your geochem map the less drill holes you’ll need to hit pay dirt.”
Mineral exploration often involves geochemical sampling across a wide area with samples sent to a laboratory for assaying. “These logistics combined with long lab turnaround times, time-consuming sample preparation, and complex analytical techniques meant that geologists could be waiting many weeks or months to get information back from the field,” said Baensch. “The use of portable XRF has vastly improved this feedback loop by providing real-time sample information in the field, which can then be used to drive and refine exploration programs on the hop. This is particularly useful for pre-screening and prioritizing samples, expediting significant samples to the lab, and reducing the amount of barren or waste-rock analysis.”
XRF guns have proven their value during exploration drilling as well—giving geologists a good idea of a drill hole’s potential in a matter of minutes compared to waiting weeks for assay results to come back from the lab. Once mining operations are underway, XRF technology can help mine managers narrow the gap between planned production and realized output by delineating grade boundaries directly in the field, preventing ore from ending up as waste and increasing overall mine profitability.
In many ways, this technology has allowed exploration companies to save time and money in a variety of applications and across the mining cycle. But where it’s really made a huge impact in the mining industry is at the early stages of exploration, helping companies to quickly identify prospects and move exploration forward rapidly and at low cost—two critical benefits for junior mining companies.
Cutting costs and fast-tracking discovery
Even from day one, before a resource company makes a purchase decision on a prospective property, XRF technology allows geologists to get on the spot analysis to understand its potential for economically viable minerals instead of waiting weeks for lab results.
The use of handheld XRF analyzers during geochemical testing and mapping has significantly reduced the time it takes to understand the mineralization of a given area and confirm the existence of an ore deposit.
“As VP of Exploration, my job is to find and identify projects that have the potential to host economic mineral deposits ” said Dale Brittliffe, P.Geo., VP of exploration for Silver Viper Minerals (TSXV:VIPR). “The XRF gun is a one of the best tools in the field for cutting costs and saving time in that it can provide near-instant analytical feedback to support geological interpretations and decisions made by the geologist while still in the field.”
One of the first steps to evaluating a potential property for acquisition is getting boots on the ground for a site visit to further investigate the property’s potential to host an economic deposit and identify any red flags. Of course, experience and knowledge of geological models goes a long way, but advanced technology like the handheld XRF analyzer can play a huge role in helping a company to evaluate a potential asset with confidence and speed.
“On any exploration property we try to digest all of the available geological information to predict the type of mineralized system likely to be present. Using …read more
From:: Investing News Network