Customer Spotlight: LabWest Minerals Analysis

Introduction

LabWest’s company vision is to meet a need in Western Australia for independent minerals analysis, while also innovating in the mining space with new analytical techniques to support exploration. By providing new innovative methods for exploration, we reduce requirement for more expensive and invasive methods such as drilling, while providing the critical quality data our customers need to focus their exploration efforts.

Workflow Highlight

We felt to achieve our mission, we had to develop a new paradigm for analytical testing in our industry. That is not a business built around sample volume, but rather deeper analysis with fantastic detection limits from very small surface samples. This enables our customers to actually test more surface space, with superb exploration outcomes.

We utilize PerkinElmer ICP-MS solutions to provide ultra-sensitive elemental analysis to minerals explorers, whereby our detection limits are lower than naturally-occurring background levels. These services are not currently available commercially and will overcome current constraints in sensing the faint signals that appear at surface above a buried orebody.

How is PerkinElmer helping you achieve your goals?

High quality data is what we are after, which in our case means reproducible, accurate data at very low concentrations. PerkinElmer’s innovations enable us to deal with interferences and matrix effects that previously have made precise analysis of geochemical matrices at such low levels impossible, and consequently provide the accurate data that our most exacting technical clients require.

For example, PerkinElmer’s new NexION 5000 Multi-Quad ICP-MS is enabling us to achieve lower detection limits for key elements - including gold and pathfinders - and provide more value in the data we provide to our clients.

What do you hope for the future and/or what’s next for the business/lab?