SGS’ newly expanded, fully equipped, laboratory facility in Burnaby, Canada, is now open and accepting samples. The facility has been strategically designed and relocated to offer a full suite of integrated geochemistry, metallurgy, mineralogy and trade services, as well as environmental testing services for the exploration and mining industry. The move ensures access to SGS’ wealth of expertise and services across many disciplines, all under one roof. The official opening of the new facility will be held in early 2013. The Vancouver area facility will incorporate a full range of the latest testing, inspection and verification services to cover project needs from early exploration, through resource development, production, trade to closure. These services include:
- Geochemical analysis
- Orebody modelling and resource estimation
- Geometallurgy and circuit modelling
- Bankable metallurgy studies for flowsheet development
- Advanced mineralogy including process mineralogy and predictive metallurgy
- Trade services and analysis for commercial cargos
- Acid rock drainage testing and water treatment solutions including high density sludge.
The integrated facility will strategically support the growing needs of the global minerals industry and complement SGS’ network of over 150 commercial, on-site, prep and MSPU geochemical laboratories, 12 metallurgical facilities, five mineralogy facilities, over 120 energy minerals labs, 33 fertiliser labs and 75 trade offices. Of these sites, five are fully integrated GEMM (geochemistry, environmental, metallurgy and mineralogy) labs (Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile and South Africa) and three provide integrated geochemistry-metallurgy services (Mexico, Peru and Russia).
This is part of SGS’ ongoing North American growth strategy which, in Canada alone, includes a significant investment in excess of $25 million and the construction of 11,613 m2 of laboratory space. Clients will benefit from this integrated approach to projects through better planning of test work resources resulting in projects progressing quickly through each stage and achieving faster speed-to-market.
The lab functions as a central hub in SGS’ global network of facilities offering a comprehensive suite of integrated services. SGS is the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. With more than 70,000 employees, SGS operates a network of over 1,350 offices and laboratories around the world.
