The mineralogy and materials division’s vision is to enable better utilization of resources, and it mainly works in the fields of mineralogy, geochemistry, geometallurgy, and metal-based materials. Through nearly 2 decades service and research, the division’s mineralogy team has gained considerable experience in mineralogy service for the whole life cycle of mining, featuring in quantitative analysis on occurrence state of precious metals, diagnostic leaching tests, high-precision qualitative and quantitative mineralogical characterization etc. We assist to exploration and resource evaluation, concentrator optimization, mine environment evaluation and management, provided mineralogical consultation for more than twenty national and international ore deposits of Zijin mining group. 

The division recently conducts the research on the development of new materials based on rare and precious metal , aiming to making key technology breakthrough for the preparation and application of high-value materials  based on rare and precious metal related to Zijin mining group’s business. The division also commits to the research of green utilization of extractive industry waste, such as tailings and residues, one of our current research directions is to develop novel cementitious materials which can replace conventional cement. 

There are 10 researchers and 2 technicians with background in mineralogy, geology, materials, mineral processing, and chemical analysis in the division, including 2 researchers with PhD degree and 6 employers with Master degree. Moreover, four of them hold senior titles. A multi-disciplines team with various expertise was established in the division for fulfilling the division’s vision.   

The division has more than 20 sets of advanced testing facilities, including mineral liberation analyzer (MLA 650), X-ray powder diffractometer (XRD), TG-DSC synchronous thermal analyzer, inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), atomic absorption spectrometer (PE900F), high-frequency infrared carbon and sulfur analyzer (HCS878A), ultraviolet spectrophotometer (UV-2450), FTIR spectrometer, and so on. Besides, there are several other facilities, such as polarizing light microscopes (Zeiss, Leica), stereomicroscopes (Zeiss), Struers automatic polishing machine, Struers hot-cold inlay machine, vacuum glove box, electrochemical workstation, battery testing system, in the division. 

The division is capable of delivering following services: 

• Offering a full-suite of mineralogical services throughout the entire mining life cycle.
• Consulting metallurgical testing programs, unique to deposit.
• Optimizing recovery through dedicated analytical testing capabilities.
• Ensuring environment sound operations by better understanding of ore and waste characteristics. 
• Providing sufficient testing skills training for on-site staff to enable their fast response to operation change, which includs mineralogical investigation and diagnostic leaching test etc. 
• Developing precious metals-based materials preparation technology.
• Enabling sustainable circular economy by developing comprehensive utilization technologies of secondary resources.
• The mineralogy and materials division provides the following types of testworks. 

1.Process Mineralogy:

• Modal mineralogy for drill core, cuttings, head, feed, concentrate, tailings, and slag
• Mineral grain size, liberation, and embedded characteristics testing
• Metals Deportment
• Diagnostic Leaching test for Au, Ag, Cu, Pb, Zn, S, Ca, Fe
• Geochemisty
• Acid Rock Drainage
• Geometallurgy – Ore Profiles

2.Materials:

• Materials Characterization, especially non-destructive testing
• Chemical Analysis
• Electrochemical Analysis