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Orexplore furthers critical mineral core scanning push with Green Critical Minerals, Northern Minerals agreements

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Mineral scanning technology company, Orexplore Technologies Limited, has made inroads into the critical minerals industry after signing two scanning agreements with companies from that sector and progressing an R&D project in collaboration with Uppsala University.

Green Critical Minerals has extended its engagement for a further 2,500 m of core scanning, in addition to 300 m already scanned in 2023 via Orexplore’s laboratory service. This order brings the total value of the engagement to approximately A$226,000 ($149,589) and encompasses scanning of graphite-bearing drill core and the delivery of ore-sorting evaluation, grade proxy modelling and emerging graphitic flake analysis solutions using the dataset captured by the company’s GeoCore X10® hardware, Orexplore says.

Green Critical Minerals is developing the McIntosh graphite project in Western Australia, which, it says, currently has the third largest graphite resource in Australia with 1.1 Mt of contained graphite.

Northern Minerals, meanwhile, has extended its engagement for an additional 900 m of core scanning, following the 420 m already scanned to date. This order brings the total value of the engagement to approximately A$130,000 and encompasses scanning of rare earth-bearing drill core and crushed samples. The project focuses on delivering two Orexplore solutions – ore-sorting evaluation and a proof of concept for operational grade control, the company said.

Northern Minerals is developing the Browns Range heavy rare earth project in Western Australia, which is currently the subject of a definitive feasibility study.

On top of these two agreements, Orexplore said its research and development on critical minerals accelerates with a project it is carrying out in collaboration with Uppsala University in Sweden having recently progressed to scanning samples from Talga Group Limited’s (ASX: TLG) Swedish resources. It has also received a development grant of A$77,000 for advancing a project on lithium scanning technologies with a Swedish lithium producer, which is supported by Sweden’s Vinnova innovation agency.

Orexplore Technologies enters South America core scanning market with Gold Fields deployment

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Orexplore Technologies Limited, a mineral scanning technology company focused on the global mining and metals sector, says it has entered the South American market with a commercial field deployment for Gold Fields at its’ Salares Norte project in Chile.

Salares Norte is a high-grade, epithermal gold-silver, open-pit deposit in the High Andes, Atacama Region, of northern Chile , and will be Gold Field’s second mine in South America, joining Cerro Corona in Peru.

Under this agreement, valued at approximately A$430,000 ($285,369), Orexplore will deliver site-based scanning and analysis of around 3,000 m of drilled core for the exploration team.

Orexplore says it will roll-out its new “Smart Sampler” software solution to enable the exploration team to reduce the quantity of drill core that is sent for analysis through assay laboratories. The company will also work collaboratively with the Gold Fields’ site and corporate teams to integrate the broader suite of new Orexplore solutions offered through the technology platform to advance Gold Fields’ orebody knowledge.

Orexplore has designed and is manufacturing a containerised deployment solution tailored to site conditions through local suppliers in Santiago, suitable as a solution across similar South American sites.

Two GeoCore X10® units will be deployed in the container, and Orexplore’s engineering team will attend site to undertake the commissioning and initial start-up of the units. Geoscience and technical personnel will deliver training to Gold Field’s geologists and technicians enabling them to self-operate the GeoCore X10 units in a dry hire style arrangement. Orexplore will provide systems technicians, scanning trainers and a project geologist to ensure ongoing operational and value delivery assurance.

Orexplore’s new Santiago office is being established to meet the expected demand as a result of the sales and business development efforts in the region that continue to identify ongoing annual drill campaigns and large-scale core farms across multiple countries, that are suitable to the technology, it said. As demonstrated through the Perth and Stockholm laboratories, this enables an effective and efficient onboarding process as customers send initial quantities of core to establish trust in the technology and delivery team.

Orexplore’s technology platform comprises its field sensing GeoCore X10® hardware unit that rapidly scans drilled core in less than 15 minutes per metre, and presents the information as a 3D digital model through the company’s Orexplore Insight® software. This platform, the company says, enables remote mining and geology personnel located anywhere in the world to analyse and interpret these 3D core scans, and connect the information into their standard geological software packages to assess orebodies and rapidly study the optimal methods of extraction.

Orexplore says: “This technology is unique through its ability to see through the entire inside of the core using medical grade CT scanners, and to combine this with dual XRF sensors to build three-dimensional elemental and geochemical models that drive powerful automated data-science solutions.

“As one of the few true “deep tech” companies with capabilities spanning from sensor manufacture to data-science and geo-science, Orexplore can provide rapid “sense to decide” solutions that the myriad of geoscience-only companies utilising common third-party sensed data can’t.”

Orexplore’s Managing Director, Brett Giroud, commented: “We are very pleased to be working with Gold Field’s as our first step into the South American region, and to further demonstrate the broad application of our technology platform through our first deployment that targets full integration into an operating mine’s processes and workflows.

“South America is a very large base metals and gold market, with a proven appetite for technology adoption that we believe is well suited to our transformational technology platform. We are excited about the engagement we are seeing in the region and the excellent opportunity this represents for Orexplore going forward.”

He added: “As a business, we remain laser focused on the commercialisation of our technology platform by driving market adoption of our suite of solutions across the mining value chain. Coupled with the Exploration and Resource to Reserve (R2R) solution deployments over the last 12 months, this agreement further demonstrates the breadth and depth of the technology’s market potential and its accelerating global traction.

“In addition to this, and other recent commercial field deployments, Orexplore is rapidly developing additional solutions including ore sorting, and ESG products such as acid-rock drainage and site based environmental monitoring. Working with Tier 1 and other customers through our laboratories, these solutions are advancing rapidly to target customer demands and drive future potential global site deployments.” x

Gold Field’s Vice President of Exploration for the Americas region, Diego Huete, said: “We are very pleased to be commencing this journey with a company as committed to transforming the industry as Orexplore. Working closely with their team, we can see the value creation on offer through this technology from sample optimisation through to Orebody knowledge and ESG solutions, and we are excited by the opportunity that being a first-mover in the digital transformation of mining provides to our business.”

Orexplore Technologies wins GeoCore X10 drill core scanning contract from OZ Minerals

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Orexplore Technologies says it has signed a binding agreement valued at around A$2.35 million ($1.6 million) with OZ Minerals that will see the ASX-listed mineral scanning technology company deliver site-based drill-core and sample scanning services using its GeoCore X10® hardware and Orexplore Insight® software.

This work will support the testing of new data-driven processes focused on optimising resource, scale and value outcomes, the testing of innovative processes and technologies across the value chain, and exploration for new resources, Orexplore says.

Through the Think & Act Differently (TAD) incubator, OZ Minerals is running several study-stage investment review and screening processes, using its new Concept of Operations approach. Concept of Operations are commonly used in other sectors such as the space sector to rapidly test multiple new value chain options. To support this approach TAD has assembled an extended team to identify and test new flowsheet options and leverage open-source crowds to apply advanced data analytics to large data sets that will be generated.

The scope of Orexplore’s field deployment is focused on the scanning and analysis of approximately 30,000 m of historical drill core and samples on site, delivered across a period of approximately six months from an overall estimated 100,000 m of available core and samples. Subject to site conditions and the emerging requirements from the TAD team, additional site-based historical core and samples may be added to the scanning quantity, Orexplore says.

The scan results will be used by the TAD team to inform digital “enhanced resource models” that will feed an overall process and project optimisation simulation system as a tool to deliver accelerated options support and outcomes, it explained.

Orexplore’s Technology Platform comprises its field-sensing GeoCore X10 hardware product that rapidly extracts information from drilled core in less than 15 minutes per metre, and its Orexplore Insight software. The software enables remote geological decision makers anywhere to analyse and interpret results to improve orebody knowledge acquisition. This can potentially accelerate decision making across the mining value chain from exploration to operational improvements.

The company will deploy its Technology Platform to site in a self-sustained containerised unit that will be operated by on-site scanning technicians and support staff.

Orexplore’s Managing Director, Brett Giroud, said: “This agreement further demonstrates increasing demand for non-destructive, 3D information sourced rapidly from the field to inform decision processes. This deployment will seek to illustrate the value this can create within accelerated studies and the ability to provide additional support to techno-economic assessments.

“The in-field deployment of Orexplore’s patented Technology Platform provides an innovative new data set to OZ Minerals through the technology’s ability to ‘see through the core’ in addition to its full surface sensing capability. This unique combination can unlock a broad suite of information from deep within the core to further advance orebody knowledge.”

He concluded: “We remain focused on the commercialisation of our transformational Technology Platform through field deployments and laboratory scanning to unlock new value for our customers. The capability of the technology to power unique value propositions across the mining value chain is being demonstrated further, from our recent ‘x-ray eyes’ exploration decision support commercial deployment, to this innovative orebody knowledge solution for OZ Minerals. The company also continues to further advance additional potential applications for the technology such as emerging assay efficiency optimisation, grade control products and sustainability enablers.”

Orexplore’s GeoCore X10 to start scanning core at Wiluna Mining gold operation

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Orexplore Technologies says it has signed a binding agreement with Wiluna Mining Corp to deliver site-based drill core scanning services for the ASX-listed gold miner at its namesake operation in Western Australia.

The globally focused mineral scanning technology company says the purchase order is valued at A$170,000 ($127,418) and covers a two-month agreement for the scanning and analysis of circa-2,000 m of NQ core on-site. This work, Orexplore says, will support the current exploration drill campaign activities.

Subject to site conditions and the campaign status, additional core quantities may be added to the scanning program to be determined by Wiluna.

Orexplore will deploy to site a self-sustained containerised unit using the in-field GeoCore X10® platform and the Orexplore Insight analysis software. The company will also deploy to site a scanning technician to operate the unit and effectively integrate it into the site workflows.

The significance of the agreement is that it represents a fully commercial site deployment of Orexplore’s exploration value proposition that delivers improved rapid decision making from near-real-time field-based core analysis that seeks to deliver time and cost savings across exploration programs, Orexplore said.

Orexplore’s technology platform comprises its field sensing GeoCore X10 product that extracts information from drilled core potentially hours after its extraction. GeoCore X10 is the result of over 20 years of X-ray research, algorithm development and sensor technology, offering non-destructive measurements and no drill core preparation ahead of time.

The Orexplore Insight software then connects geological decision makers anywhere in the world to analyse and interpret results to accelerate decision making, the company said.

Orexplore’s Managing Director, Brett Giroud, said: “We are extremely pleased to collaborate with Wiluna Mining as they leverage technology to increase exploration value. This agreement further confirms the increasing demand for operators to receive fast, in-field information from drilling that is fit for purpose and highly targeted towards improving dynamic exploration decision speed and quality.”

He added: “The in-field deployment of the patented GeoCoreX10 technology that combines high resolution 3D tomography with a large range of detected elements is a unique combination for the mining sector. The deployment at Wiluna, in conjunction with their exploration drilling, further supports Orexplore’s strategy and vision, and we look forward to delivering value to Wiluna.”

To date, Wiluna Mining has outlined 5.53 Moz of resources and 1.29 Moz of reserves within a 1,600 sq.km tenement package in the Northern Goldfields of Western Australia. The company, last week, said it had produced 3,855 t of gold concentrate since ramp-up (7,800 oz) at an average grade of 69.9 g/t, while three shipments and 4,488 oz of gold had been dispatched.

Orexplore ready to build global technology company following ASX debut

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Orexplore Technologies has commenced trading on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX), following its demerger from Swick Mining Services Limited.

As part of this process, the company raised A$2.44 million ($1.76 million) at A$0.25 per share from existing Swick shareholders through a priority offer of shares, in addition to the A$12 million seed funding amount through the Swick demerger.

The demerger and listing will allow the mineral scanning technology company to accelerate its business and technology strategies, focused on the commercialisation of its technology platform through targeted customer “value propositions” across the mining value chain, it said.

Established in Sweden in 2010, and headquartered in Perth, Western Australia, the company is focused on accelerating market traction, and advancing the commercialisation of its non-destructive core-scanning technology across the mining value chain. Its flagship offering, the field-based core sensing GeoCore X10® product and remote Orexplore Insight software, enables a very rapid “drilled to insight” duration, connecting geological decision makers anywhere in the world to drilled core from exploration and deposits potentially hours after extraction, according to the company. GeoCore X10, specifically, is a transportable X-ray rock mass scanning technology that converts drill core samples into a 3D dataset to provide a “through the rock” image of internal structures and texture in addition to elemental detections and density.

With its strong research and development capability, Orexplore is actively advancing the existing hardware and software technologies to bolster its competitive IP portfolio, with research and development remaining critical to the business, it said.

Swick Mining Services has been looking to spinoff this unit since late 2020 following a strategic review.

Orexplore is seeking to capitalise on its research and development program and fleet of 12 GeoCore units, as it looks to capture opportunities across the global mineral sensing and analysis market. Orexplore GeoCore X10 units are currently being trialled at customer sites and the company’s laboratories across Western Australia and Europe, with company continuing to advance its customer collaborations and engagements.

Orexplore’s Chair, Dr Alan Bye, said: “Resource characterisation is fundamental to the success of exploration, extraction and mine closure. The mining industry is adopting digital sensors and analytics to improve productivity and Orexplore has the potential to add significant value to mining exploration and operations. We are excited to become a listed company and thank our shareholders for their support.”

Orexplore’s Managing Director, Brett Giroud, said: “We are fortunate to be building on a strong base of advanced research and development from our origins in Stockholm. With a healthy balance sheet, a rapidly advancing technology platform, and a highly skilled team, we are well positioned to create shareholder value as we aim to build a global technology company.”

Swick signs BHP, MATSA drilling contracts and inks first Orexplore commercial pact

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Swick Mining Services Limited has secured new drilling contracts with BHP’s Olympic Dam mine and MATSA’s copper operation in Spain at the same time as confirming the first commercial agreement for its Mineral Technology Business.

In what will be Swick’s second largest project, the company has been awarded a five-year contract to provide underground drilling services at Olympic Dam mine in South Australia.

Swick has been working with up to five rigs at Olympic Dam since 2017 when an initial trial of its underground mobile diamond drills commenced.

The new contract will see Swick increase its rig volume at site, with the first year’s scope requiring an initial eight rigs, with five to be added to the three currently operating at site. Of the five additional rigs, three are at site already and the remainder will be mobilised from Swick’s existing fleet, according to Swick.

Swick has also been awarded a five-year contract from Minas de Aguas Teñidas SAU (MATSA) at its copper operations in Spain, where two rigs are currently deployed.

These projects, combined with Swick’s existing work in hand, has expanded Swick’s order book to A$363 million ($260 million), it said.

Swick’s Mineral Technology Business, Orexplore, has also been awarded its first infield commercial agreement, the company said.

Under the agreement with St Barbara Ltd, some 1,500 m of core will be scanned per month over a six-month period at the Gwalia mine in Leonora, Western Australia.

Swick will conduct technical assessment over a number of potential benefits of the detailed core analysis and high volume of quality data generated by the GeoCore X10 instrument, it said. The agreement has a value of around A$700,000 over the six-month period.

“Orexplore will be working with world-class subject matter experts to ensure maximum value for the client is derived from the data obtained to develop a compelling justification for ongoing services beyond the initial six-month period,” it said.

Swick expects a formal contract to be signed in the coming weeks and mobilisation of GeoCore X10 instruments housed in a custom-built mobile laboratory to site in September 2020.

The GeoCore X10 analyses the element concentrations and minerals contained in a drill core, as well as providing a visualisation of the rock’s internal structure in 3D. This speeds up the chemical laboratory analysis process, enabling miners to accelerate their own decision making.

Swick Managing Director, Kent Swick, said the company was delighted to be awarded a long-term contract with BHP at Olympic Dam.

“Credit goes to our operational team who have delivered outstanding safety performance, and high quality and productive drilling that enabled Swick to secure this long term, high volume work,” he said.

“In addition, securing a five-year agreement with a large copper miner MATSA, in Spain, adds to our ongoing work with Somincor in Portugal along the historic Iberian Pyrite Belt. Our local workforce in that region is highly skilled and they are to be commended for converting a trial into a long-term contract in Spain.”

He concluded: “In the Mineral Technology Business, it is very exciting that we have taken a significant step forward with the award of Orexplore’s first infield commercial agreement. We look forward to ensuring the value is extracted from this rich 3D data set and I am confident we can add significant long-term value to the Gwalia mine and the wider brownfield market.”

Swick’s Orexplore mineral scanning tech ready for first mine site trial

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In announcing the appointment of John Pizimolas as General Manager of the APAC region for Orexplore, Swick Mining Services has revealed that the first mine site trial of its mineral scanning technology is scheduled for the December quarter.

Since launching in May 2018, 18 different customers have used Orexplore in laboratory trials, according to the company.

Pizimolas, meanwhile, has more than 20 years’ experience as a metallurgical engineer in the resources industry, with senior executive expertise in leading mineral analysis across the full mine project life cycle and in new technology start‐ups, Swick said.

Prior to joining Swick, Pizimolas was Vice President, Minerals South East Asia and Pacific for SGS SA and, before then, General Manager Mine Site Services (Global) for ASX‐listed ALS Limited.

Swick Managing Director, Kent Swick, said Pizimolas’ expert industry knowledge will help drive Orexplore’s growth as it targets revenue generation in its second full year since launch.

Pizimolas said: “I strongly believe in the power of digital core tomographic imaging and the need to progress to more real-time information from drilling than has previously been available. The innovative Orexplore technology certainly delivers real commercial value and I am excited to be leading the business in driving its next phase of growth.”

Swick said the Orexplore business is transitioning towards capturing long term, in‐field digital core tomographic imaging opportunities, with the first mine site trial aimed for the December quarter. To support this field trial, Orexplore has recently taken delivery in Australia of three new specification GeoCore X10 machines (pictured) from its Stockholm facility, capable of imaging 6,000 m/mth of core.

The company said: “Successful completion of this trial is expected to enhance market confidence in the technology and drive revenue growth in Orexplore’s second full year since launch.”

Orexplore was developed over a seven-year period in Sweden and provides real-time, non-destructive assay and tomography results using whole of core data that is an improvement on the multiple weeks delay currently used in destructive chemical testing, according to Swick.

GeoCore X10 core scanning machines use patented attenuation and X-ray fluorescence combined measurement techniques to enhance the identification and understanding of key features within the entire core including:

  • Geochemical composition and mineralogy;
  • 3D structures;
  • Texture, fabric and grain size;
  • Density; and
  • Controls on mineralisation.

The scan results are made available to the client for viewing and analysis through Orexplore’s Insight software. This enables interactive 3D manipulation of the tomography data which can lead to accurate definition of geological structures, the ability to define lithological contacts and the true boundaries of mineralisation. It also provides element concentration data for further analysis.

Orexplore

A first for Swick’s Orexplore scanning tech

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Swick Mining Services has signed the first commercial agreement for its Orexplore mineral scanning technology.

The agreement, between Swick’s fully-owned subsidiary Orexplore Australia and exploration company Saturn Metals, has already led to the first batch of 30m of core from Saturn’s Apollo Hill gold project in Western Australia being processed by the patented GeoCore X10 scanning machine and technology.

The Apollo Hill gold project is made up of nearly 1,000km² of ground near Leonora in the Goldfields region.

Swick Managing Director Kent Swick said, although small in value, the agreement was a major milestone for the Orexplore technology.

“This deal comes barely two months after Swick officially launched the Orexplore mineral analysis technology in Australia and is a major step towards commercialisation of this world-first technology.”

Orexplore was developed over a seven-year period in Sweden and provides real-time, non-destructive assay and tomography results using whole of core data that is an improvement on the multiple weeks delay currently used in destructive chemical testing, according to Swick.

GeoCore X10 core scanning machines use patented attenuation and x-ray fluorescence combined measurement techniques to enhance the identification and understanding of key features within the entire core including:

• Geochemical composition and mineralogy
• 3D structures
• Texture, fabric and grain size
• Density
• Controls on mineralisation.

The scan results are made available to the client for viewing and analysis through Orexplore’s Insight software. This enables interactive 3D manipulation of the tomography data which can lead to accurate definition of geological structures, the ability to define lithological contacts and the true boundaries of mineralisation. It also provides element concentration data for further analysis.

Kent Swick said: “We have seen good levels of interest across a wide spectrum of potential clients who have been trialling the product since it was introduced. Many of those are now deciding how to use the technology in their current work flows and we are confident a number of proposals will be converted into laboratory scanning agreements soon.”