EXPLOMIN™

Developed by SGS, EXPLOMIN™ is a trademarked suite of packages that provides the routine, automated documentation of mineralogy, alteration and textures for a statistically robust comparison that allows for 3D mapping and manipulation. EXPLOMIN links mineralogy, domain definition, metallurgy and geometallurgy. The value of EXPLOMIN lies in its ability to acquire and process vast amounts of extremely detailed mineralogy data efficiently and economically.

This powerful automated procedure will prove especially useful to those in the resource development and pre-feasibility phases of their projects. Procedures such as vectoring to ore, future flowsheet development and geometallurgical domain definition can be greatly enhanced by the improved accuracy and efficiency of EXPLOMIN and its ability to track primary mineralogy and alteration events. It can provide you with:

• Mineral identification and modal mineralogy
• Mineral associations and grain size and abundance
• Particle size, shape factor
• Deportment and liberation of three metals
• Deleterious minerals and environmental parameters
• False color images (jpg or bitmap) for textural interpretation

The Value of EXPLOMIN

EXPLOMIN allows the direct quantification of mineralogy and may provide textural information for imaging. Data can be easily graphed and assessed. Such digital data has many uses during the life of a project.

EXPLOMIN data can be used to:

• Determine the mineralogy of a large number of samples rapidly and accurately
• Identify variations in modal mineralogy across or down into mineral deposits or within soil or till horizons
• Identify textural variation (i.e. degree of replacement) (Imaging)
• Interpret rock textures in a sample (petrography) (Imaging custom add-on)
• Quantify the mineralogy of core, rocks, rejects or pulps
• Compare the actual mineralogy of a drill interval with the geochemistry of that same interval

EXPLOMIN Packages

The EXPLOMIN products are a bulk mineralogical service. EXPLOMIN STANDARD is the base EXPLOMIN product and, as a minimum, provides an EXCEL file, containing tabulated numerical data. The technical deliverables of this product include:

• Mineral identification
• Modal mineralogy
• Average grain size
• 3 Elemental Deportments *
• Downhole logplot with geochemistry
• Downhole logplot with field parameters (e.g. grain size, bulk density, structural info)

* Deportment is the distribution of an element though various mineral phases present in the sample.

EXPLOMIN IMAGING is an add-on option to the EXPLOMIN package. It is an option to generate false-color maps of selected sample texture, for inclusion in reporting. Images are generated from supplied core sections or analytical rejects.

EXPLOMIN IMAGING is invaluable in visually capturing and recording textures of interest. Additional technical deliverables of EXPLOMIN IMAGING include the generation of sample false-color images that can be added into the EXPLOMIN STANDARD downhole logplot.

Measurement Procedures

EXPLOMIN data is generated by Quantitative Evaluation of Materials by Scanning Electron Microscopy (QEMSCAN), using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectra (EDS) technology, on polished sections of core or crushed material. Approximately 0.5 gram of sample (core chunk or granular material) is epoxy-mounted in a “puck”. About 40,000 - 60,000 points are analyzed per sample.

Sample Types

EXPLOMIN can be done on drill core fragments, RC drill chips, rock chips from channel or trench samples, geochemistry rejects or geochemistry pulps. EXPLOMIN is done on “whole rock” samples. There is no screening, mineral separation or size classification involved.

The value of EXPLOMIN lies in its ability to provide objective mineralogy efficiently and economically. EXPLOMIN is backed by SGS’s 50 years of process mineralogy experience.

EXPLOMIN is your tool for mineralogy and domain definition. This powerful automated procedure, capable of acquiring and processing vast amounts of mineralogical data, was developed by SGS to maximize your competitive advantage.