FastGradeTM, mining probe
FastGradeTM has revolutionized the mining sector. Designed to study the atomic composition of a mine’s subsoil, the probe can replace highly costly traditional drilling and sampling operations with real time analysis: 1 day is now all it takes to obtain the composition of the land around the drilling hole, compared with 1 month for traditional methods!
Numerous operational gains relation to traditional drilling and sampling operations:
Quicker
Eliminating sampling enables in situ analysis, with real-time results.
More efficient
Thanks to this technology, miners can identify the “good” and “bad” ore quite early in the exploitation process.
More environmentally-friendly
Transport and processing operations are reduced, along with the carbon footprint.
Safer
FastGradeTM is safer than the traditional methods. The probe increases workers’ safety by reducing their exposure to a complex mine environment.
The probe is based on advanced technology: neutron analysis, also called Pulsed Fast & Thermal Neutron Activation (PFTNA). It has been used for many years in the oil and gas industry. Sodern has been one of the world leaders for decades and offers the safest solutions on the market.
Neutron activation operates as follows: a neutron source generates neutrons which interact with the atoms. This reaction provokes gamma radiation which will enable the elements and their concentration to be defined.
Sodern has been selling this revolutionary tool around the world for several years now, in particular to BHP, one of the largest international mining companies.
In 2015, BHP’s chief executive said that “BHP has eliminated the need to drill expensive diamond wells to confirm data, which will enable us to save over 10 million US dollars in 2015”.
Today, BHP has a park of tools which can be used to either for resource evaluation or for mining bench quality control.
CNA – Cross Belt Analysers
Our Cross-Belt Analyzers (CNA) enables to determine the precise composition of a flow of raw material, which is a great facilitator for cement applications in particular.
The distributor is Malvern Panalytical.
- Based on pulsed fast thermal neutron activation technology (PFTNA)
- Enables laboratory costs to be reduced as the machine replaces sampling and reduces preparation and analysis workload
- Supply monitoring to optimize crushing
