QEMSCAN® mineral analysis

QEMSCAN® is the world's leading technology for rapid mineral analysis. It is revolutionising the mining industry and is in demand from the world's largest mining companies. QEMSCAN® provides users with rapid determination of composition, size and shape of fine particles using scanning electron microscopy and X-ray techniques. The technology has the capacity to make 12 000 mineral analyses per minute.

QEMSCAN® is used to assess the value of exploration discoveries and to streamline metallurgical processes. Data from QEMSCAN® assists operators to manage the whole process from exploration, planning the mine, scheduling production, and processing ores of different grades - right down to the dregs and what were once regarded as waste stockpiles.

QEMSCAN® is also proving valuable in:

• forensics
• environmental geology
• coal and petroleum mineralogy
• geopolymer development
• meteorite investigations
• archaeological research.

In 2003 CSIRO spin-off company Intellection Pty Ltd was formed to commercialise the technology. The commercialisation of QEM*SEM™ technology, which underpins QEMSCAN®, won a CSIRO Business Excellence Medal in 2006.

Related information

• Technology for rapid mineralogical analysis (Solution)
• CSIRO technology helps solve murders, 2009 (Media Release)
• Intellection Pty Ltd [external link]