Expression of Interest
CSIRO’s innovative new detectORETM technology for gold mineral exploration provides simple, quick and cost effective, in the field analysis of low levels of gold.
detectORETM technology can give you the competitive edge in gold exploration
Mineral Exploration companies are realising that accurate data and fast, reliable knowledge is gold. CSIRO’s newly developed detectORETM technology is a new gold technology system that when used in conjunction with a handheld portable XRF instrument can help detect very low levels of gold, simply and rapidly. When time between results and decisions matter, the detectORETM can give you the competitive edge to maximise productivity and profits.
CSIRO believes there is a business opportunity for a suitable company interested in further developing and commercialising this technology globally and thus are seeking expressions of interest from parties interested acquire the rights to grow this opportunity.
Based on 2 years of development from CSIRO Mineral Resources, the detectORETM technology system was engineered to bring you speed and accuracy in gold analysis in the field.
Currently, the analysis of mineral samples for gold requires sophisticated and time consuming chemical techniques that are normally done in centralised laboratory facilities. It has been long recognised that the ability to analyse gold in the field outside of the traditional laboratory would be highly advantageous for a number of reasons, such as: the flexibility to modify sampling plans and activities while still in the field, use adaptive or interactive sampling, time and cost savings. While the analyses of a range of elements has been possible in the field, similar analysis for gold, especially at low levels has not been practical or possible. For the gold explorer, the ability to analyse geological samples such as soils and drill cuttings in the field, can lead to the identification of mineral deposits faster and at lower cost.
During mineral exploration, it is more important to know areas where higher gold levels are present compared to the low background levels of gold. The knowledge of the absolute value of total gold in a sample is less important than the geochemical contrast. The detectORETM technology allows explorers to discriminate these prospective target areas and plan follow up investigations while still in the field. The detectORETM technology can therefore accelerate gold exploration campaigns by providing a simple to use, field based analytical method that is used in conjunction with well-established pXRF instrumentation. Gold analyses down to parts per billion (ppb) in samples collected during a soil sampling and/or drilling campaign can be achieved. It provides users an ability to undertake simple and cost effective analysis of gold samples in the field, significantly reducing the number of traditional laboratory based analyses required. detectORETM thus improves workflow by reducing turn-around time for results from potentially weeks to a day. This provides the exploration teams with the ability to map gold distributions with a high degree of certainty, essentially in real time during a sampling campaign. Decisions about follow up and additional sampling can be made in the course of a campaign without the usual delay required for shipping samples and then waiting for results to come back from a laboratory. Having such decision provides early results that empowers geologist to “chase the lode” and modify sample plans on a daily basis while still in the field.
The detectORETM technology comprises of a packaged chemical system (a consumable) capable of extracting the gold from the sample and a software application which is used in combination with a commercially available portable X-Ray fluorescence (pXRF) instruments to perform the analysis. The detectORETM technology does not analyse the total gold in a sample. Rather, it is able to report on an operationally-defined extractable gold that is proportional to the total gold in the sample. One consumable is used per analysis. Fire assay is still required to determine the total gold in a sample. The detectORETM technology has been successfully tested in the field and is patent pending.
CSIRO is offering an exciting opportunity to acquire the rights to commercialise this innovative new gold analysis technology for the minerals or related industries.
CSIRO is seeking proposals from interested parties via an expression of interest to further develop, scale up and commercialise this technology globally.
If you are a company with established channels to market for portable field instruments such as pXRFs and other field measurement devices, providing analytical or other services to the mining and exploration industries, and/or an interest to commercialise this innovative technology, contact us today.
This is your chance to get a jump on your competitors by joining CSIRO in bringing science innovation into gold exploration. Discover smarter to find gold faster.
For further information contact:
Mel Lintern (Technical) | +61864388683 |e: mel.lintern@csiro.au
Wayne Robertson | +61864368612 | e: wayne.robertson@csiro.au
If you are interested at all in downloading the Expression of interest then click on the link below.
NOTE: If you want to submit an EOI then you must register your interest beforehand. Register by contacting Wayne Robertson via email at wayne.robertson@csiro.au
Updated and important event dates to remember.
| Event | Date |
| Issue of EOI | 16 November 2017 |
| Industry Briefing Session (Video Conference) | 2pm AEDT
30 November 2017* |
| EOI Response Closing Time and Date | 11pm AEDT
14 December 2017* |
| Selection and notification of short-listed Respondents | 20 December 2017 |