Orexplore Technologies signs deal with BHP to scan drill cores at Carrapateena copper-gold mine
Perth-based Orexplore Technologies (ASX: OXT) has won a $1.55 million contract to apply its mineral scanning technology at the producing Carrapateena mine in South Australia, which BHP (ASX: BHP) acquired this year as part of its takeover of OZ Minerals.
The company operates Orebody Knowledge, a technology which handles rock mass characterisation, smart domaining and geometallurgical issues, which it says improves mining outcomes.
This follows the company winning a large contract with Johannesburg-based mining major Gold Fields to perform similar work at the Salares North copper-gold mine in Chile.
Better drill-core logging
The agreement with BHP covers site-based drill core and sample digitisation at the Carrapateena iron oxide-copper-gold mine.
This is intended to improve the efficiency of downstream mining and processing and will involve what the company describes as transforming traditional drill core logging.
Carrapateena is located 100km southeast of BHP’s Olympic Dam mine, and is one of South Australia’s largest mining projects.
The key terms of the agreement include scanning of about 15,000m of drill core and samples.
Improving mining industry sustainability
Orexplore managing director Brett Giroud said the agreement with BHP further demonstrates the global demand for non-destructive, 3D information which is sourced from the field to help decision making, transforming traditional collaboration with the use of digital models.
“We are advancing our mission to improve the sustainability of the mining industry.”
This is being achieved by delivering new technology tools in support of geology and mining professionals, said Mr Giroud.
Global reach
Orexplore Technologies is a “globally focused” mineral technology business which, it says, is concentrated on advancing the commercialisation of its technology platform across the mining value chain.
The company maintains core scanning laboratories in Stockholm, Perth and Santiago.
Orexplore’s global team includes consulting geologists, engineers, data scientists, physicists and technology delivery experts.