August 21, 2013

CSIRO uses x-ray vision to detect unseen gold



Powerful x-rays can now be used to rapidly and accurately detect gold in ore samples, thanks to a new technique developed by CSIRO – a move that could save Australia’s minerals industry hundreds of millions of dollars each year.

Working with Canadian company Mevex, CSIRO has conducted a pilot study that shows that gamma-activation analysis (GAA) offers a much faster, more accurate way to detect gold than traditional chemical analysis methods.