Technology
PhotonAssay™ uses high-energy X-rays to rapidly measure gold, silver, and copper content in large samples.
Industry Adoption
- Used in JORC & NI 43-101 compliant reports
- 5 million assays performed
- Utilized by major mining groups
Traditional Fire Assay |
|---|
| Fully dry sample |
| Prepare sample (crush/Grind) |
| Divide into 25-50g aliquots |
| Prepare fusion samples (mix with flux/litharge) |
| Fusion: fire sample at 1000-1200 degrees centigrade |
| Separate lead button from slag |
| Cupeling: re-fire button to remove lead |
| Dissolve remaining metal in concentrated acid |
| Analyze resulting solution via AAS / ICPMS |
New PhotonAssay™ |
|---|
| Optionally-dry sample |
| Crush sample to nominal 2mm or pulverize, then load into barcoded jar |
| Place jar on to automated conveyer for quantitative analysis in less than 3 minutes |
PhotonAssay™ vs Fire Assay
| Fire Assay | PhotonAssay™ | |
|---|---|---|
| Time per sample | ~3-4 hours | ~2-3 minutes |
| Sample size | 10-50 grams | 250-650 grams |
| CO2 per sample | 0.91 kg | 0.455 kg |
| Hazardous waste per sample | 0.31 kg | 0 kg |
| Energy use per sample | ~1.3 kWh | ~0.65 kWh |
| Automation | No | Yes |
Global Fire Assay Market Breakdown by Segment (USD Billion)
Chrysos PhotonAssay™: Real-World Accuracy & Precision
The results below are from a recent implementation study, conducted on a gold deposit with moderate heterogeneity.
| FA 1 | FA 2 | FA 3 | FA 4 | FA 5 | FA 6 | FA 7 | FA to Extinction | A single PhotonAssay™ | PA vs FA Extinction Difference | FA 1 vs FA Extinction Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S 1 | 1.30 | 0.79 | 0.56 | 0.48 | 0.54 | 0.49 | 0.44 | 0.66 | 0.68 | 3% | 65% |
| S 2 | 0.40 | 0.44 | 1.03 | 0.36 | 2.50 | 0.67 | 0.50 | 0.84 | 0.81 | -4% | -72% |
| S 3 | 0.35 | 0.65 | 1.02 | 5.34 | 0.56 | 0.35 | 0.62 | 1.27 | 1.22 | -4% | -114% |
| S 4 | 1.68 | 5.46 | 1.72 | 1.66 | 2.34 | 1.93 | 1.46 | 2.32 | 2.39 | 3% | -32% |
| S 5 | 6.31 | 2.95 | 2.92 | 3.40 | 2.50 | 2.68 | 3.04 | 3.40 | 3.49 | 3% | 60% |
| S 6 | 6.78 | 7.16 | 4.94 | 7.21 | 5.86 | 6.92 | 13.35 | 7.46 | 7.65 | 3% | -10% |
| S 7 | 20.44 | 21.22 | 14.26 | 15.33 | 13.10 | 12.68 | 12.11 | 15.59 | 15.43 | -1% | 27% |
| S 8 | 44.82 | 36.72 | 35.14 | 31.19 | 35.14 | 26.36 | 32.34 | 34.53 | 34.80 | 1% | 26% |
Compliance
PhotonAssay™ is:
- NI 43-101 compliant
- JORC compliant
- ISO 17025 certified
- ISO 9001 certified
