Abstract
Geochemical techniques are often disregarded in the mining industry as expensive and time consuming. However, as mineable deposits become increasingly challenging to find, it is important to start applying geochemistry to solve roadblocks in mine development. The benefit of using synchrotron XRF over conventional XRF is due to the highly focused nature of the synchrotron X-rays. The synchrotron allows for faster analysis and lower detection limits of complex materials at very high spatial resolutions. Geochemical and mineralogical images are created directly on samples of rock in any form such as core, tailings, and process materials. This chemical image suite reveals the value of a deposit and the path forward for the long-term and sustainable management of projects. Often with geochemical investigation, you need to know what to look for to find it so that techniques can be tailored to that specific element/mineral. The synchrotron offers a much broader search radius, reducing the time and cost of solving poor grade recovery and grade-estimation. Ultramafic rocks, such as peridotites, are easily altered to clay minerals such as nontronite, saponite and iddingsite. This can drastically impact grade recovery. Using the synchrotron, clay mineral varieties and abundances can be quickly identified. Once this is known, milling processes can be tailored to adequately correct for this problem; bringing about profitability. Identifying grade-estimation for forecasting can be another large roadblock to a potential mine. Nuggety, high-grade, gold deposits are notoriously difficult to fingerprint. Synchrotron technology allows for mapping unique gold mineralizing events and identifying associated ore/gangue minerals. This fingerprinting of the deposit improves grade-estimation, allowing for more effective mine planning, and in turn, a reliably profitable mine. These improvements can result in millions of dollars of additional revenue, making synchrotron XRF the affordable, practical and innovative technology required for the mining industry.