We are pleased to announce that an independent assessment at SGS’s Kalgoorlie, Australia facility has verified the sustainability benefits of PhotonAssay analysis. The study shows that, in comparison with fire assay, PhotonAssay Analysis dramatically lowers energy use, greenhouse gas emissions and hazardous waste, supporting the mining sector’s goal to reduce supply chain emissions (Scope 3) from outsourced laboratory services.
The assessment, which compared Photon Assay (PA) analysis and fire assay (FA), was conducted by GHD for Chrysos Corporation. GHD is a global, multidisciplinary professional services network providing clients with integrated solutions across advisory, digital, engineering, architecture, environmental and construction. The aim of the study was to understand the differences in emissions, energy use and waste.
Using operational data from June 2024 to March 2025, the study found that PhotonAssay analysis consumed about ~9.81 times less energy per sample during analysis (~0.78 kWh) than fire assay (~7.64 kWh) ,with a total reduction of ~5.12 in average monthly energy consumption. Across all stages, including pre-analysis, PA used roughly ~6.71 times less energy per sample and ~5.06 times less energy per month. PA also produced about ~4.17 times less CO₂e emissions per sample and delivered ~5.32 times lower monthly CO₂e emissions than FA.
Unlike fire assay, which generates significant Scope 1 emissions from natural gas fired furnaces, PhotonAssay analysis produces no Scope 1 emissions, relying solely on electricity and benefiting from grid decarbonization. Crucially, PhotonAssay analysis eliminated hazardous lead waste entirely; fire assay generated around ~215 g of hazardous waste per sample and about 9 tons per month.
Our Kalgoorlie lab
Located in Broadwood, our Kalgoorlie laboratory operates 20 hours a day and offers mineral, environmental and metallurgical testing services to clients across Western Australia. PhotonAssay analysis has been in service at this site since June 2024, providing rapid, non-destructive analysis that can report results in as little as two minutes while avoiding contaminated waste.
Our geochemistry services
We deliver industry-leading geochemistry solutions across the mining value chain, with a global network of over 100 commercial, mobile and on-site laboratories. Our accredited methods, advanced technologies, and expert teams provide fast, reliable and high-quality data, enabling you to optimize exploration and enhance operational performance.
Learn more about our geochemistry services.
About SGS
SGS is the world’s leading Testing, Inspection and Certification company. We operate a network of over 2,500 laboratories and business facilities across 115 countries, supported by a team of 99,500 dedicated professionals. With over 145 years of service excellence, we combine the precision and accuracy that define Swiss companies to help organizations achieve the highest standards of quality, compliance and sustainability.
Our brand promise – when you need to be sure – underscores our commitment to trust, integrity and reliability, enabling businesses to thrive with confidence. We proudly deliver our expert services through the SGS name and trusted specialized brands, including Brightsight, Bluesign, Maine Pointe and Nutrasource.
SGS is publicly traded on the SIX Swiss Exchange under the ticker symbol SGSN (ISIN CH1256740924, Reuters SGSN.S, Bloomberg SGSN:SW).
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