Time is money in mineral processing, and every minute spent waiting for lab results can mean lost opportunity—or lost revenue. And the faster you can understand what’s going on with your flotation or leaching circuit, the quicker you can make adjustments to maximize recovery and efficiency. Enter Thermo Fisher Scientific’s newly launched Thermo Scientific Elescan XRF-100 Online Multi-Stream Elemental Slurry Analyzer, an isotope-free, real-time platform designed to streamline workflows and boost recovery rates. Tapping Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) technology in a modular, scalable design, the Elescan XRF-100 provides continuous elemental data on up to 20 slurry streams. The company designed the unit to empower plant operators to make immediate, data-driven decisions that drive product quality and operational efficiency. Applications include “rougher scavenger flotation feed and tailings analysis, concentrate monitoring, and more,” according to the press release.
Typical elements the device can measure include calcium (Ca), titanium (Ti), vanadium (V), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn).
Elescan XRF-100 Online Multi-Stream Elemental Slurry Analyzer is also designed to sidestep the need for manual sampling and lab testing, which can take hours or even days. Instead, the Elescan XRF-100 provides real-time, isotope-free elemental analysis of slurry streams. Thermo Fisher Scientific notes that the unit allows operators to adjust flotation parameters instantly based on live data. They can also optimize recovery rates and reducing reagent use before any inefficiencies escalate.
“It also eliminates a lot of the guesswork,” notes a Thermo Fisher Scientific spokesperson over email. “With traditional methods, by the time you get lab results, conditions in the plant may have already changed. Elescan removes that lag, giving operators continuous feedback so they can fine-tune the process in real time—ultimately leading to higher throughput, better recovery, and lower costs.”
Beyond speed, another feature of the Elescan XRF-100 is its adaptability. Its modular design enables flexible implementation in a range of plant setups, small or large, while supporting up to 20 slurry streams analyzed in 15-second cycles. By using Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) and a low-power, air-cooled X-ray tube, the system eliminates the need for radioactive sources, reducing compliance hurdles and simplifying maintenance. The Elescan XRF-100 has a high count rate of up to 300,000 cps.
“It helps plants recover more metal, reduce waste, and cut operating costs, all while keeping things simple to maintain and easy to integrate into existing workflows,” the spokesperson added.
According to the company, in a copper-molybdenum plant, just a 5% improvement in recovery can mean an extra $1.5 million per year. Additionally, unoptimized use of flotation reagents can cost a plant up to half a million dollars annually. With immediate feedback, plants can fine-tune reagent consumption while maintaining high recovery rates.
The company also emphasizes that Elescan is designed with EDXRF full-spectrum analysis. As a result, it can do more than track predefined elements. That is, it can detect any relevant elements in the slurry above detection limits, providing flexibility as ore compositions change over time.
Seamless data connectivity is another offering of this new platform. The analyzer supports standard industrial communication protocols such as MODBUS and OPC (UA and DA), allowing real-time analytical data to feed directly into SCADA systems, plant-wide distributed control systems, or advanced process simulation software. Elescan stores all assay data in an internal SQL database, making it easy to query, analyze trends, and feed into process models. The company also highlights remote access capabilities through secure VPN connections and tools like TeamViewer. That functinoality enables operators, engineers, or support staff to access the system remotely for real-time monitoring, troubleshooting, or calibration.