The Chrysos PhotonAssay technology provides fast, accurate, non-destructive and fully automated measurements of gold and other metals in ore samples. The method uses high-energy X-rays to activate metal atoms inside the sample; the activated atoms subsequently emit characteristic gamma-ray signatures that are detected and counted to determine the metal grade. The high-energy X-rays and gamma-rays can penetrate substantial volumes of solid rock, enabling true bulk assays of 400-600 g samples. Following deployment of an initial PhotonAssay unit in Perth in 2018, two additional systems were deployed in Kalgoorlie in 2019, providing combined gold assay capabilities in excess of 0.5 M (Perth) and 1 M (Kalgoorlie) samples per annum. Collectively, the three systems have processed several hundred thousand samples since their initial deployment.
In this paper, we summarise the performance of the new technology.
The operating characteristics of the technology make it ideally suited for on-site deployment, where it can provide near real-time analysis of samples for mine planning and process control applications. We discuss the development of a mine-site unit optimised for high-reliability operations in remote locations and prospects for deployments in Australia and around the world.
CITATION:Treasure, D and Tickner, J, 2019. Gold analysis using PhotonAssay: deployment and operating experience, in Proceedings World Gold 2019, pp 235243 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).