Gold Exploration and Mineral Identification

Spectral Evolution geological spectrometers are designed for field use, including exploration for gold. With our oreXpress, oreXplorer or oreXpert spectrometer, and EZ-ID mineral identification software, exploration geologists have the field and core shack toolset necessary for an excellent Return-On-Investment while improving the effectiveness of drilling.

The oreXpress, oreXplorer and oreXpert geological spectrometers can be used in field mapping and exploration of many gold deposit types, including:

  • Paleoplacer deposits
  • Massive sulphide deposits
  • Hot spring deposits
  • Adularia/sericite epithermal deposits (low sulfidation)
  • Alunite/kaolinite epithermal deposits (high sulfidation)
  • Breccia pipe deposits
  • Porphyry gold deposits
  • Skarns
  • Orogenic deposits
  • Carbonate placement deposits
  • Greenstone belts

With our field spectrometers, geologists can scan and identify common alteration minerals, for example:

  • Low sulfidation deposits – illite, kaolinite, chlorites, illite/smectite, buddingtonite, epidote, montmorillonite, zeolites, quartz, calcite, hematite
  • High sulfidation – alunite, opal, dickite, pyrophyllite, diaspore, zunyite, topaz, illite, kaolinite, chlorites, illite/smectite, epidote, quartz, montmorillonite, geothite, jarosite, hematite
  • Orogenic gold – muscovite, paragonite muscobite, roscoelite, illite, kaolinite, quartz, siderite, ankerite, calcite, dolomite, chlorites, carbonates

Every oreXpress, oreXplorer and oreXpert includes our DARWin SP Data Acquisition software and is available with EZ-ID and the Custom Library Builder Module. EZ- ID allows you to compare your target sample with a known library of mineral spectra. EZ-ID comes with the USGS spectral library and is available with the GeoSPEC library and the SpecMIN mineral library from Spectral International.

EZ-ID features:

  • Fast and accurate identification of an unknown mineral to a known spectral library sample
  • Ease-of-use: take your scan using an oreXpress or SR-6500 and see results in real-time
  • Simple, consistent user interface
  • USGS, SpecMIN, and GeoSPEC libraries
  • Weighted score for best matches
  • Include or exclude spectral regions of interest for optimal results
oreXpress field spectrometer for mining exploration

oreXpress, oreXplorer and oreXpert field portable spectrometers for mineral identification

EZ-ID mineral identification software matches sample to kaolinite

SPECTRAL EVOLUTION’S EZ-ID software has identified our target sample as kaolinite using the USGS spectral library for reference. The shaded areas shown in the scan allow a geologist to concentrate on regions in the spectra of particular interest.