On-site Laboratory for Sampling and Analysis of Drill Cores and Rock Samples at Copper Project Ambaji (CPA)

The present exploration activities undertaken by GMRICS in various geological domains are of a multidisciplinary nature and involve a multitude of analytical studies and basic research on the mineralogical and mineral-chemical characteristics of the ore and associated minerals. In view of this, basic analytical facilities for sampling, mineral separation, and petrographic studies are being developed at the Onsite Laboratory in Ambaji.

As a rapid first-hand assessment of ore grade, heavy mineral analysis of representative core samples is proposed to be carried out on-site along with microscopic studies. While chemical analysis of samples will be carried out in reputed laboratories elsewhere, it is suggested to concomitantly procure a portable/handheld X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometer (XRF) for on-site delineation of ore and non-ore bands in drill-core samples. All these analytical programmes would require creating ancillary facilities for core-splitting, crushing, grinding, systematic sampling, weighing, and sequential heavy media separation. Additionally, facilities for preparing thin sections, polished sections, polished grain mounts and microscopes are required. Processing the exploration data requires specialised software, such as Datamine and AutoCAD, as well as high-end computers and printers/plotters

Project Details

    • Creation of a facility for systematic sampling of cores through core-splitting, crushing and grinding.
    • Facility for heavy mineral separation for mineralogical and liberation analysis.
    • Full-fledged laboratory for petrographic and ore mineralogical and process mineralogical studies comprising a state-of-the-art research microscope, a stereo microscope.
    • Portable XRF for onsite rapid elemental analysis.
    • Computation facility with state-of-the-art software for 3D ore modelling and hardware.
  • Outcome
    • Systematic core sample preparation for subsequent analysis.
    • Petro-mineralogical characterisation.
    • On-site elemental analysis.
    • Ore body modelling for the preparation of the mining plan.