On-belt Gamma Activation Analysis (GAA) Sensing for Gold

The Challenge

Demonstrate the technical feasibility of measuring gold grade on a belt at relevant tonnages and accuracies to allow for economic bulk gold ore sorting using the gamma activation technique (GAA).

Proposed Solution

Bulk gold ore sensing and sorting is an opportunity to make a large impact in a significant sector of the West Australian and worldwide mining industry. This is all provided the fundamental problem of measuring the low levels of gold in an ore stream can be overcome.  

Direct gold measurement for fire assay replacement has been pioneered by CSIRO and spun into the company Chrysos which successfully uses a gamma activation technique (GAA) to detect low levels of gold in 500gm samples with mm top sizes. 

Proposed Benefits to WA

If bulk ore sorting for gold became feasible it could present significant cost savings to the WA gold industry by reducing the amount of ore processed, addressing bottlenecks in processes, and improving water use.   

WA is well suited to initial take up as generally, its mines have low levels of uranium and thorium which can interfere with the GAA gold measurement.