Part 1 One of the fastest ways for humans to store information in their long-term memory is to pair concepts with meaningful images. Visual learning has been found to have cognitive effects that stimulate imagination, therefore, enabling users to process the information faster. Neuroscientists from MIT (1) have found that the human brain can process […]
Geochemical visualization of identified chemical trends is challenging during exploration when data is limited. While geochemical assay datasets are highly valuable, the use of visual tools can often simplify the ability to identify and track chemical and mineralogical trends and display the key characteristics of an exploration target to a wider audience. To quote American […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
The M4 TORNADO PLUS is the newest, most advanced micro-XRF spectrometer manufactured by Bruker. One remarkable feature of this new spectrometer is the ability to extend measurements down to detect carbon (Z=6) which improves the response of all light elements including F, Na, Mg, Al, Si, P and S along with elements such as Ti. […]
The application of portable Raman spectroscopy (pRaman), portable XRF (pXRF), and micro-XRF (µXRF) proved invaluable during the exploration, delineation and development of the Sinclair Caesium Mine, Western Australia. This article provides an insight into the application of combined spectral technologies in the exploration for, and development of mineral deposits. An algorithm to estimate the lithium […]
Research and Development is an important part of the Portable Spectral Services ethos, and our Spectral Geologist, Dr Naomi Potter, has recently commenced a research project with Prof. Marco Fiorentini at the University of Western Australia. The project aims to improve the understanding of geochemical processes that occur in the regolith overlying nickel sulphide (NiS) […]
Micro-XRF technology provides unique access to a scale of contextual chemistry that has previously not been widely utilised in industry. The instrument provides chemical information mapped at a multi-micron scale for samples up to 20cm in length (Fig 1). This has its advantages as it bridges the gap between the restricted small scale of Scanning […]
To get into the Christmas spirit Portable Spectral Services (PSS) scanned a vintage Australian card depicting a native wallaby with the inscription “A Message from the Land of the Wallaby” (Image 1a). The Wallaby, standing on a patch of grass is framed in an ovoid surrounded by eight “X”s. When examining the inside of the […]
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. 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 […]
