Intertek, a leading total quality assurance provider to industries worldwide, has agreed to acquire Base Metallurgical Laboratories Ltd. and Base Met Labs US Ltd (Base Met Labs), a leading provider of metallurgical testing services for the minerals sector based in North America.
Founded in 2014 and operating from laboratories in Kamloops, British Columbia, and Tucson, Arizona, Base Met Labs’ specialist focus on metallurgy capabilities complements Intertek Minerals existing strengths in geochemistry, mine site laboratories and trade inspection, creating attractive commercial synergies within Intertek’s high-quality service portfolio, Intertek says. The acquisition broadens the group’s differentiated ATIC offering in the minerals industry, expanding its Americas footprint to access the largest and growing market for mining activity globally, across Canada, the United States and Central and South America.
With a testing focus on gold, copper and other critical metals, Base Met Labs benefits from growing demand for minerals testing underpinned by strong fundamentals, with significant growth potential in battery and energy metals that will help the world’s leading mining companies accelerate into a sustainable future, Intertek adds.
With over 40 specialists operating from laboratories in Canada and the US, Base Met Labs provides a comprehensive range of metallurgical capabilities including comminution testing, flotation, automated mineralogy, mineral processing, mineral analysis and mineral extraction. Base Met Labs helps clients optimise mineral processing operations and maximise resource potential. It has also recently partnered up with SRK Consulting in Canada to offer a “pre-concentration screening test” using X-ray Transmission (XRT) based sensor technology that can not only indicate pre-concentration amenability, but also provides key inputs into the pre-concentration strategy selection and evaluation.
Intertek Minerals says it is constantly evaluating new instrumentation and technology to continuously improve quality, safety and efficiency and deliver value for our customers. Using advanced technology and innovation with a strong focus on automation, Intertek provides customers with faster, more efficient analytical options that increase production without compromising on quality. The acquisition also capitalises on the recent opening of the group’s innovative Minerals Global Centre of Excellence in Perth Australia, one of the world’s largest and most advanced minerals laboratories.
André Lacroix, Chief Executive Officer of Intertek, said: “The acquisition of Base Met Labs is highly complementary to our ATIC service offering, establishes a minerals testing footprint for Intertek on the American continent and creates attractive growth opportunities with existing and new clients. We welcome the Base Met Labs team to Intertek and look forward to working together to help the world’s leading mining companies accelerate into a sustainable future, enabling us to fulfil our mission of making the world a better, safer, more sustainable place for all.”
John Fowler, Intertek’s Senior Vice President of Minerals Exploration and Production, added: “Intertek Minerals is committed to providing a superior service for the mining industry and we are constantly challenging ourselves on the latest innovations in automation, safety, productivity and sustainability. By adding these metallurgical services to our portfolio further strengthens our commitment to support the mining industry across the whole supply chain, whilst also expanding our geographic presence in the Americas, driving enhanced access to some of the largest markets for mining activity globally.”
