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Exploring Rare Earth Elements

Demand for Rare Earth Elements (REE) continues to increase as the globe migrates to renewable energy. Exploration for REE have significantly increased over the last 18 months to meet this increasing demand. In order to match this demand for REE exploration, Portable Spectral Services (PSS) has developed a REE Index for use on portable-XRF instruments, providing […]

What Makes Uranium Glass? | Micro-XRF

Uranium glass glowing under UV light

To delve into a deeper understanding of uranium glass, such as its elemental makeup, micro-XRF is the perfect technique for measurement. Providing visualisation at a high-spatial resolution up to 4µm, combined with its output data, the micro-XRF conducts in-depth non-destructive elemental analysis.   Background As antiques go, uranium glass is one of the most unique […]

Heavy Mineral Concentrates for mineral exploration

micro XRF scan of heavy mineral concetrates

Download our HMC Brochure Australia is the home to the world’s largest heavy mineral deposits containing titanium, zircon, and rare earth elements as well as heavy mineral concentrates (HMC) extracted from surficial sediments in alluvial, fluvial, glacial and wind environments. Early-stage exploration and processing of heavy minerals utilises techniques such as gravity and magnetic separation […]

What is your money really worth? | Micro-XRF

micro-XRF elemental map of coins

Over the course of Australian history the coins used in circulation have changed multiple times from hole-punched Spanish coins to Dutch guilders, English pennies and now the Australian Dollar. One of the issues we have faced during these transitions is when the material value of the coin outweighs its value as a currency. What is […]

Delivering Christmas joy with the micro-XRF

Christmas stamps

Portable Spectral Services (PSS) are getting into the Christmas spirit as we scan a pair of vintage Australian postage stamps dated from 1973 using micro-XRF. Figure 1. 1973 Australian Christmas stamps, designed by George Hamori. a) The baptism of Christ with the words “This is My Beloved Son”, b) The Good Shepherd with the words […]

Nickel Sulphides: The flavour of the month

element map of half core rock

In collaboration with Portable Spectral Services, four companies have utilised μ-XRF technology to gain valuable information from Nickel sulphide samples. Preliminary data on these samples have been released as part of their ASX announcements in the last month to support findings from their respective deposits. Half core samples were analysed with the μ-XRF without any […]

We all love a cheeky bit of chocolate

three chocolates

We all love a cheeky bit of chocolate. No wonder, the botanical name for the cocoa tree is Theobroma cacao, which translates to “food of the gods.” As simple as it is to enjoy, it is one of most complex chemical mixtures known (over 1500 flavour components identified!).[1] Per capita for consumption, European’s take out […]

Power of the future: Uncovering the secrets of the NCA battery

Diagram of NCA Battery

Lithium-ion batteries come in a range of shapes, sizes and compositions, and these batteries are revolutionizing the way we produce, conserve, and use electricity. Since the late 1990s, advances in lithium-ion battery technology has been driven by the ever-increasing demand for mobile phones, laptops and other portable electronics. This technology has now been comprehensively applied […]

How do you like your coffee?

two cups of coffee with latte art

Did you know coffee is said to have been discovered by a goat herder in Ethiopia? With over 2.25 billion cups of coffee being consumed every day, no wonder we need a day to celebrate it! October 1st is International coffee day and as coffee enthusiasts PSS has decided to take this opportunity to analyse […]

Rotten Apples (Part II) Dead or Alive?

micro XRF element map

Following on from the article in last months newsletter, we take a look at the chemical differences between fresh apples and those that have been left to rot and dehydrate. A fresh Fuji and Royal Gala apple were analysed using micro-XRF technology to investigate the chemical distributions in their structure. A month later the same […]

How do you like them Apples! The core chemistry of their internal structure

element scan showing chemistry of apples

Apples are widely regarded as the most popular fruit available worldwide. They are high in fibre, antioxidants, vitamins (such as vitamin C) and minerals (potassium and calcium) and have been enjoyed by all since they were first cultivated (1). Originating from Central Asia and being first cultivated as early as 4000 years ago, apples have […]

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