PANalytical has added a new segment to the mining applications section of its website called Minerals Analysis. In this section it has included, and will continue to add, content that highlights minerals that have spectrally active features in the near infrared (NIR), making them ideally suited for the rapid, precise mineral analysis of the TerraSpec 4 mineral analyser.

The minerals and applications that have been added so far are:

In the exploration of bauxite, the ability to identify, and quantify, the alumina content of bauxite is crucial to defining the bauxite grade. This is important to determine whether or not the deposit will be profitable. Because bauxite minerals are spectrally active in the near infrared, NIR spectroscopy provides a valuable tool in bauxite exploration.

NIR technology can easily discern the key bauxite suite minerals in the mining process, including successfully quantifying the problem minerals that affect the Bayer and Hall-Héroult processes to refine and convert bauxite into aluminium. Other technologies such as x-ray florescence (XRF) and atomic absorption spectroscopy cannot do so as easily.

Oil sands are very different from conventional oil and natural gas deposits as oil sands are a mixture of bitumen, water, quartz, clay and other gangue minerals. Clays and other minerals, and constituents like moisture, are easily analysed by NIR analysers such as the TerraSpec 4 mineral analyser. This technology can bring oil sands extraction companies one step closer to conquering problem constituents like water and clays, and generate greater amounts of synthetic crude in bitumen production.

Nickel is one of the most abundant metals found on Earth, the main sources of which are sulphide and lateritic ore deposits. Because lateritic ore deposits have spectrally active features in the NIR region, NIR spectroscopy provides a valuable tool in the nickel mining process, from nickel exploration and characterization through the concentration and smelting of the finished ore product.