Analyses in Mining

Yes, mineral sample preparation can be fully automated, from weighing and dissolution or digestion through to analysis and result reporting. Alsys lab robots handle solid mineral samples end to end, integrating analytical techniques such as spectrometry and chromatography within a single unattended system.

Automating preparation removes the manual handling steps that vary most between operators — weighing, digestion timing, and dilution — which is where inconsistency in mineral analysis typically originates. Samples can be taken directly from the mine and loaded by production personnel.

Automated mineral analysis in a mining laboratory runs the full sequence unattended: the robot weighs the sample, prepares it through dissolution, digestion or dilution as the method requires, transfers the prepared solution to the configured analyzers, and reports results directly into LIMS, SAP or ERP against the sample identity.

Methods range from spectrometry to chromatography depending on the minerals and parameters being determined. Because preparation and analysis run as one continuous process, a sample taken at the mine can move through to a reported result without manual transfer between steps.

In mining applications, an Alsys system processes around 150 samples per day, depending on the methods and parameters configured. Because the robot runs unattended around the clock, daily capacity is set by how long each method takes rather than by staffing or shift patterns.

Throughput scales with the complexity of the analysis: simpler determinations allow more samples per day, while methods requiring digestion or multiple parameters per sample take proportionally longer.

Sample preparation and analysis for a mineral sample takes around 8 minutes with an Alsys system, covering both the preparation steps and the analysis itself, though actual time depends on the specific method and parameters configured for that laboratory.

That per-sample speed is what allows a mine to move from taking a sample to having a reportable result within the same operational shift, rather than waiting for a batch of samples to accumulate before analysis begins.

Alsys mineral analysis systems integrate directly with SAP, ERP and LIMS, writing results automatically against the sample identity so mining data becomes accessible across the operation without manual transcription. Worklists and sample identities can also be pulled from these systems into the robot.

This integration is what allows a mine to run a fully digital production process: one customer using an Alsys lab robot for around 14 years reports receiving faster, more accurate and fully digital quality measurements, with data flowing straight from the mine into LIMS and SAP.

Ion chromatography is one of the core techniques Alsys integrates for automated mineral analysis, used to determine dissolved ionic species in prepared mineral samples alongside spectrometric methods. The robot handles the sample preparation feeding into the chromatography system, so dissolution, dilution and filtration are consistent from sample to sample before the measurement itself.

Which technique is used for a given parameter depends on the mineral and the specification being tested; ion chromatography is typically paired with spectrometry to cover the full range of elements and species a mining laboratory needs to report.

Lab automation improves mining quality control by delivering consistent, traceable analytical data continuously rather than in batches gated by laboratory staffing. Automated preparation removes operator-to-operator variation, so results reflect the ore or process rather than who ran the analysis, and deviations can be acted on while production is still running.

Automation also protects product quality and reduces environmental risk by keeping analysis consistent regardless of sample volume or timing, which supports both grade control and the broader digital production process a mine relies on for planning.

Yes, Alsys lab robots are built to handle the solid, often abrasive sample matrices typical of mining operations, with mechanical handling, weighing and preparation modules engineered for durability under continuous industrial use. Systems are designed to run for years in demanding operating conditions without degradation in accuracy.

Automated analysis supports ore grade control by delivering faster, more consistent elemental and mineral composition data, so grade decisions during production are based on current results rather than results from an earlier shift. Consistent preparation removes the sample-to-sample variation that can obscure real grade differences in manual analysis.

Because the robot runs continuously, grade data is available as an ongoing stream rather than periodic checks, which is what lets a mine adjust blending or processing decisions against real-time quality information instead of retrospective reporting.

Alsys has close to 15 years of experience automating quality control laboratories in mining and mineral analysis, integrating spectrometry and chromatography techniques to automate solid sample preparation from mine to reported result. Systems are proven in continuous industrial operation, with SAP, ERP and LIMS integration built in from the start.

One customer has run an Alsys lab robot for around 14 years and now operates a fully digital production process built around it, taking samples directly from the mine to the robot and into LIMS and SAP — the kind of long-term operating history that reflects Alsys’s broader engineering approach to durability.

Automation reduces turnaround time in mining laboratories by starting preparation the moment a sample is loaded and completing preparation and analysis together in around 8 minutes per sample, rather than waiting for an analyst to become available or for a batch to accumulate. Results are written directly into LIMS or SAP, removing any delay for manual transcription.

The combined effect is that a sample taken at the mine can return a usable result within the same operational window it was taken in, which is what allows grade and quality decisions to be made against current, not historical, data.

Yes, Alsys lab robots run unattended 24 hours a day, seven days a week at mine site laboratories, so quality control continues through every shift without depending on analyst availability. Samples can be taken directly from the mine and loaded by production personnel rather than laboratory specialists.

Continuous operation matters most where mining itself runs around the clock: unattended analysis keeps grade and quality data current across every shift, including nights and weekends, without asking anyone to staff the laboratory overnight.