Xstrata Nickel Purchases a Fast In-Line Fire Assay system from IMP Group Australia

The IMP group of Australia recently completed the installation and commissioning of an automated FIFA system at the Xstrata Nickel Smelter in Sudbury – Canada. The system allows for sample and flux mixtures to be loaded into the automated Fire Assay (melting and lead casting) system. A lead button is produced from the melt by casting through a Cowan separator.

From left to right: Gilles Henri - Chemist Xstrata, Dave Allen - Chemist Xstrata, Warren Boswell - IMP Senior Technician, Mitchell Pyke - IMP Site Project Manager

The lead button is then surface prepared and presented to the Optical Emission Spark Spectrometer for analytical quantification of precious metals collected in the lead. Alternatively the lead button can be removed from the output magazine for traditional cupellation analysis.

Crucial to the success of this international project were the key role players under the project management of the IMP Group- Australia. We wish to thank the following role players for a job well done: -Herzog Maschinenfabrik - Germany / Thermo Fisher – Switzerland / Modutemp – Australia /

Thanks also to Johan Beetge and his team from Xstrata Nickel.

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OES system

Casting of the melt into a Cowan separator for production of Lead button