An innovative talk in the Geometallurgy session at PDAC, Toronto, March 5th 2019, 3:h40 pm.

https://www.pdac.ca/docs/default-source/conventions/2019-convention/tech-session-abstracts/girard.pdf?sfvrsn=c7338b98_0

Years ago, we attended a talk at PDAC about the use of a QEMSCAN in metallurgy. This has been an inspiration and we start imagining applications in exploration. So, a few year later, we bought our first SEM, and start developing applications for automated counting of kimberlitic indicator minerals counting. Then, a few more years later again, we presented to the exploration industry in Val-d'Or our ARTGold application for automated gold grain counting in tills. A metallurgist from Agnico-Eagle, who attended the talk, asasks us if we could use it for metallurgical applications! This is called a locked cycle test!

Measuring gold deportment in very low grade material is a much challenging task, due to the very low abundance of gold particles. This is where our ARTGold, SuperARTGold, ARTPhot and ARTMin applications can be use to circumvent the statistical limitation of conventional techniques. Using such, we can quantify the abundance of coarse free gold, micronized free gold, gold sulfosalts, encapsulated or non-liberated gold as well as refractory gold dissolved in solid solution into sulphides or silicate minerals. Knowing the deportment, the cause of recovery issues can be established in the course of mine and mill operations. Fast turnaround provides fast trouble shooting in the course of production.

Enjoy your PDAC, and take time to meet our expert.

"There are those who follow the rules... and those who define them!"

Back scattered electron image of pyrite grains encapsulating gold-bearing minerals (to the right: Calaverite = AuTe2; to the left: Te-Bi-Au). Goldex Mine.