Idaho Copper has deployed Veracio’s TruScan core scanning unit at its CuMo copper-molybdenum-silver in Boise, Idaho, which will digitally scan and measure the metal grades of 60,000 feet of drill cores pulled over 20 years.
The data collected will aid Idaho Copper in confirming previous laboratory analyses of the metal distribution within the core and compare the detailed scan results with previous studies.
The results will then be used to determine potential ore sorting parameters in an updated Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA), and to select various bulk core samples for detailed metallurgical and ore sorting studies.
The ultimate goal is to reduce the overall mill size and significantly increase mill feed grades, which the company expects will translate into lower capital costs and higher profitability for the project.
The TruScan mobile scanning unit contains software and XRF (X-ray fluorescence) scanning equipment that analyzes drill core on as small as 1.5-cm intervals to detect and measure copper and molybdenum grades.
XRF technology is non-destructive and works by measuring the fluorescent (or secondary) X-ray emitted from a solid material sample when exposed to a primary X-ray source. Each of the elements present in a sample produces a set of characteristic fluorescent X-rays unique for that specific element.
“BHP’s recent bid for Anglo American PLC is a signal that the biggest players in the mining world are positioning themselves for a different world, where copper plays a starring role in the green economy. We are excited to be advancing the CuMo project in such a compelling environment,” said Idaho Copper CFO Robert Scannell.
Veracio is a subsidiary of Boart Longyear.
Source: Idaho Copper