A pilot program using x-ray fluorescent (XRF) equipment is investigating how this innovative technology might enable Newcrest’s exploration geologists to make faster and better-informed decisions about whether to continue drilling in areas of prospective mineralisation.

The trial is one of several ways our operations are working to improve Newcrest’s long-term financial and economic sustainability by seeking innovative ways to enhance the way we work.

Currently our geologists, who work mainly in remote locations across Australia, PNG, Indonesia, Africa,
South America and the USA, must send drill-hole samples to laboratories away from the drill site then wait up to six weeks for accurate results.

The Exploration team’s ability to make informed decisions can be significantly delayed and out of sync with target testing. By the time the samples have been analysed and results received, the Exploration drilling program may be finished, the drills may have moved to different holes and there may not be an opportunity to return to a drill hole.

While laboratory testing will still happen, TruScan^TM Innovative Core Scanning Technology enables faster decision-making at our more advanced projects, by providing consistent, reliable geological data, in near real time, at the drill site.

Where our geologists can provide high-quality assay results and a good understanding of the mineral system and its host lithologies, the Exploration team can use this technology to make more accurate and timely decisions on where to drill next or to what depth, reducing time and cost.

Other exploration innovations include DetectOre for in-situ gold analysis, Corescan HCI-4 for highest resolution hyperspectral imagery, deep learning imagery analysis for vein segmentation and global remote sensing merges for mineral mapping.