From exploration to production to mitigation, synchrotron tools can provide new insights into a wide variety of difficult problems and questions related to natural resource extraction and protection. Applications of synchrotron techniques are diverse, ranging from metal speciation to characterizing industrial materials for extraction and refining. These techniques enable technical advancements in exploration and extraction, leading to improved efficiency, sustainability, and cost control.

Mining

The power of synchrotron-based tools, combined with our years of experience in mining-related science, can provide your company with a unique competitive advantage.

We have a proven track record of working with the mining industry to solve their most intractable problems. There are many ways that our powerful analytical tools can support mining operations, from exploration to production to tailings management. Whether it’s providing a complete profile of arsenic species in a tailings management facility or determining the presence of trace minerals in a core sample, we routinely work with large mining companies and consulting firms to provide insights that conventional analytical labs are unable to offer. Talk to one of our consultants today to figure out how we can put the brightest light in Canada to work for you!

Techniques:

COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY (CT) X-RAY ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY (XAS) POWDER X-RAY DIFFRACTION (PXRD) SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY (SEM)

Depp, C. T., Goodman, A. J., Blanchard, P. E. R., Massimi, S. E., Reid, J. W., Bednar, A. J., & Ranville, J. F. (2024). Potential for high-grade recovery of rare earth elements and cobalt from acid mine drainage via adsorption to precipitated manganese (IV) oxides. Chemosphere, 364, 143144. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.143144 


Hendry, M. J., Kirk, L., Warner, J., Shaw, S., Peyton, B. M., Schmeling, E., & Barbour, S. L. (2024). Selenate bioreduction in a large in situ field trial. Science of The Total Environment, 933, 172869. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172869 


Stromberg, Jessica M.; Van Loon, Lisa L.; Gordon, Robert; Woll, Arthur; Feng, Arthur; Feng, Renfai; Schumann, Dirk and Banerjee, Neil R. (2019). Applications of synchrotron x-ray techniques to orogenic gold studies; Examples from the Timmins gold camp. Ore Geology Reviews 104, 589-602. 10.1016/j.oregeorev.2018.11.015


Stromberg, Jessica M.; Barr, Erik; Van Loon, Lisa L.; Gordon, Robert A. and Banerjee, Neil R. (2019). Fingerprinting multiple gold mineralization events at the Dome mine in Timmins, Ontario, Canada: Trace element and gold content of pyrite. Ore Geology Reviews 104, 603-619. 10.1016/j.oregeorev.2018.11.020


Barlow, Burke C.; Situm, Arthur; Guo, Bao; Guo, Xiaoxuan; Grosvenor, Andrew P. and Burgess, Ian J. (2018). X-ray microprobe characterization of corrosion at the buried polymer-steel interface. Corrosion Science 144, 198-206. 10.1016/j.corsci.2018.08.051


Blanchard, Peter E.R.; Van Loon, Lisa L.; Reid, Joel W.; Cutler, Jeffrey N.; Rowson, John; Hughes, Kebbi A.; Brown, Caitlin B.; Mahoney, John J.; Xu, Liying; Bohan, Matthew and Demopoulos, George P. (2017). Investigating arsenic speciation in the JEB Tailings Management Facility at McClean Lake, Saskatchewan using X-ray absoprtion spectroscopy. Chemical Geology 466, 617-626. 10.1016/j.chemgeo.2017.07.014

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Oil & Gas

From exploration to production to tailings management, synchrotron tools can providee new insights into a wide variety of difficult problems.

As new technology provides access to previously untapped petroleum reservoirs, a detailed understanding of these complex formations is required in order to control costs and improve extraction efficiency. Advanced imaging techniques allow us to image not just mineral and pore structures of core samples, but also the distribution of water and petroleum within the pore network. Other powerful tools allow us to tackle issues such as corrosion, tailings consolidation, and speciation of petroleum impurities. Synchrotron techniques can bring new insights into technically difficult exploration and extraction projects in the constant push to improve efficiency and control costs.

Techniques:

COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY (CT) X-RAY ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY (XAS) POWDER X-RAY DIFFRACTION (PXRD)

Azargohar, R.; Soleimani, M.; Nosran, S.; Bond, T.; Karunakaran, C.; Dalai, A.K. and Tabil, L.G. (2019). Thermo-physical characterization of torrefied fuel pellet from co-pelletization of canola hulls and meal. Industrial Crops and Products 128, 424-435. 10.1016/j.indcrop.2018.11.042


Robertson, Jared M.; Nesbitt, Jake A. and Lindsay, Matthew B.J. (2019). Aqueous- and solid-phase molybdenum geochemistry of oil sands fluid petroleum coke deposits, Alberta, Canada. Chemosphere 217, 715-723. 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2018.11.064


Azargohar, Ramin; Nanda, Sonil; Kang, Kang; Bond, Toby; Karunakaran, Chithra; Dalai, Ajay K. and Kozinski, Janusz A. (2019). Effects of bio-additives on the physiochemical properties and mechanical behaviour of canola hull fuel pellets. Renewable Energy 132, 296-307. 10.1016/j.renene.2018.08.003


Song, Ping; Natale, Giovanniantonio; Wang, Jingyi; Bond, Toby, Hejazi, Hossein; de la Hoz Siegler, Hector; Gates, Ian and Lu, Qingye. (2018). 2D and 3D metal-organic framework at the oil/water interface: A case stuyd of copper benzenedicarboxylate. Advanced Materials Interfaces 6(2), 1801139. 10.1002/admi.201801139

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Soil Science

Soil analysis requires techniques that can isolate elements and compounds from a highly complex matrix, which is where synchrotron techniques shine!

The study of soil science greatly benefits from the ability of synchrotron techniques to analyze soil samples under nearly natural conditions. In the past several decades, the development of synchrotron techniques have helped to significantly advance the understanding of nutrients and contaminants in environmental samples. Our ability to conduct in-situ experiments at the sub-micron scale with improved spatial resolution provides direct insight into the various investigations of soil science. 

Techniques:

COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY (CT) X-RAY ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY (XAS) POWDER X-RAY DIFFRACTION (PXRD) SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY (SEM)

Reid, J. W. (2023). Synchrotron powder diffraction data for some smectite clay mineral standards. Powder Diffraction, 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0885715623000283 


Knaack, D. R., Peterson, R. C., Reid, J. W., Leybourne, M. I., & Layton-Matthews, D. (2023). Revisiting the chemistry and crystal structure of sveite. The Canadian Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology, 61(4), 861–872. https://doi.org/10.3749/2300009 


Peterson, Ronald C.; Graham, Robert C.; Ervin, Jarel O.; Kozin, Igor S.; Sickman, James O.; Bozhilov, Krassimir N. and Reid, Joel W. (2021). Sveite from the Northeastern San Joaquin Valley, California. The Canadian Mineralogist 59(2), 409-421. 10.3749/canmin.1900074

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Case Studies

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