This application note addresses the critical bottleneck in mining operations where traditional laboratory-based analysis creates multi-week delays between sampling and results—impacting drilling decisions, ore zone targeting, and blending strategies.
Covering the analysis of a thin section core plug, this application note demonstrates how field-deployable technology enables rapid elemental mapping and trace-level quantification without requiring acid digestion, hazardous chemicals, or trained chemists.
The results showcase mineralogy characterization of composite grains with spatial resolution from 5-150 microns, trace lithium detection in distinct grains for assessing extraction potential, and rare earth element quantification achieving 6% average accuracy compared to certified reference materials.
This demonstrates how bringing Massbox to field offices shortens exploration feedback loops from weeks to hours, enabling near-real-time decisions that optimize recovery and deliver operational agility worth millions of dollars annually.
