Comprehensive microscopy portfolio for mining

APPLICATIONS

Providing Mineral Resources for an Evolving World

Microscopes for Imaging, Analytics and Reporting

Supplying mineral resources to satisfy the increasing societal demands for infrastructure, advanced technology, and cleaner energy production requires detailed knowledge of the ore body, and of the mineralogy that influences behavior during the beneficiation process and beyond mine closure.

ZEISS solutions for geoscience span:

2D automated mineralogy and quantitative geochemistry
CT-automated quantitative mineralogy for real liberation and volumetric measurements
Automated petrographic analysis with self-correlated imaging
AI for data-driven decision-making

ZEISS Solutions for Mining

Bringing the most advanced solutions to your challenges across a broad spectrum of mining applications.

2D Automated Mineralogy and Quantitative Geochemistry

Automated Mineralogy and Quantitative Geochemistry on SEM

Real liberation from CT automated quantitative mineralogy and volumetric measurements

Real Liberation with 3D Automated Mineralogy

Transmitted light image of a thick section containing opaque minerals, mostly sphalerite, with some galena, and trace chalcopyrite.

Automated Petrographic Analysis

AI for Data-driven Decision-making

AI-based segmentation and analysis

Self-correlated cross-polarization and reflected light image of thick section

Your Mining Research Focus

Imaging Analytics Reporting to Unlock the True Value of Your Mining Projects

Geoscience is a critical fundamental research topic focused on the examination of processes that govern the formation and evolution of the world around us. It also underpins the processes that control its economic development and utilization. From micropaleontology to mineralogical studies to the modeling of three-dimensional fluid flow, ZEISS Microscopy has provided geoscientific imaging and analysis solutions for over one hundred years.

_{Caption: Self-correlated cross-polarization and reflected light image of thick section acquired with Axioscan 7.}

Analysis of a comminuted ore sample reveals mineralogical, morphological, and liberation details of the constituent mineralogy

RESEARCH FOCUS

Liberation

Real liberation is measured in 3D

Execute mineralogy analyses in three dimensions that provide particle identification, mineral classification, and data outputs including liberation and association measurements with ZEISS Mineralogic 3D, which applies 3D X-ray microscopy techniques and deep learning algorithms to automated mineralogy.

mineral classification and measurement from reflected light image using AI

Mineral classification and measurement from reflected light image generated by ZEISS Axiolab 5 with machine learning segmentation from ZEN Intellesis

RESEARCH FOCUS

Automated Mineral Classification and Measurement

Machine Learning and Image Analysis

Light microscopes are used daily in the evaluation of mining samples to assess the performance of the recovery process, and during exploration for new resources. Operators must perform a rigorous and accurate evaluation of samples daily, a task that can prove arduous and consume a reasonable proportion of the day. With ZEN Intellesis and ZEN Image Analysis, you can automatically perform the classification and measurement of the mineralogy, freeing time to concentrate on the interpretation of the data and their other tasks.

Gold mineralization characterization using 3D drill core

RESEARCH FOCUS

Automated Quantitative Mineralogy of Submicron Gold

Detection, Analysis, Description, Quantification, and Refractoriness

Gold deposits can display mineralogical and textural variability that serve to add complexity to the recovery process. Modern microscopy techniques can afford exacting quantification of gold presence as well as a description of its environment. Develop an understanding of the ore's behavior and discern the intricacies of how mineralogy affects metallurgical recovery with automated quantitative mineralogy using ZEISS Mineralogic in 2D and 3D.

Reflected light photomicrograph of gold sitting at the interface between hematite and silicate/carbonate

RESEARCH FOCUS

Geometallurgy

Analyze mineral samples in 2D and 3D

To successfully develop deposits of staples such as Al, Fe, and CU to fulfill the demand for high-tech metals and successful commodities requires knowledge of the ore body, its structure, geomorphology, and description of the distinct ore types present, their textural characteristics, mineralogy, and chemistry. Analysis of mineral samples 2D and 3D techniques provide you with information on, for example, mineralogy, chemical composition of the sample and its components, texture, particle and grain morphology, mineral liberation, and associations.

Gold mineralization characterization — Volume segment showing interior location of gold in core sample

RESEARCH FOCUS

Ore Body Research

Improving ore deposit knowledge, refining our understanding of oregenesis and understanding more effective ways of extracting valuable ore is critical in ensuring we have resources available for future generations. For these studies we can combine optical, electron, and X-ray microscopy to help characterize and understand these ore deposits.

Zircon cathodoluminescence (CL) to view distinct growth zones in high resolution is essential when performing geochronology studies.

RESEARCH FOCUS

Prospecting

Greenfield and Brownfield

Whether a greenfield or brownfield project, your workflow to discovery is similar. Initially cover large areas and become progressively focused on the most promising plots, those highlighted by indicator minerals and vectoring. Your success is achieved through the microscopical analysis of numerous samples and the interpretation of the datasets.

Axioscan 7 with multiple petrographic samples

RESEARCH FOCUS

Tailings to Mineral Resources

Advances in Mineral Processing Technology

Research historical tailings dumps and heaps as potential secondary sources of natural resources. Assessing the viability of recovery requires knowledge of the mineralogical and chemical composition of the tailings, which should be treated as an ore. ZEISS mining solutions offer a range of analytical tools for the characterization of mineral deposits. ZEISS Mineralogic 3D on X-ray microscopes (XRM) can offer a full description of the tailings material, allowing the development of an accurate reprocessing model.

Downloads

Improving the recovery of your resources

ZEISS Microscopy Solutions for Mining

19 MB

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The Petrography Analysis Toolbox (PetPAT)

Quantitative analytics for light microscopy – ZEISS Axioscan 7 Geo

2 MB

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ZEISS Mineralogic 2D

Flexible, quantitative automated mineralogy for geoscience research

1 MB

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ZEISS Mineralogic 3D for Mining - Flyer

Your geometallurgy goals realized with maximum efficiency

539 KB

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