Facilities Canada

SGS Minerals Services' metallurgical group provides global testing and consulting services to the broad mining and metals sector from offices in Canada, Chile, Australia, Europe, South Africa, Mexico and Brazil.

The group: develops and demonstrates sustainable flowsheets and processes for metal and mineral extraction, confirming processing techniques through bench and pilot plant programs performs on-site, in-plant commissioning, audit and troubleshooting services analyses a full range of inorganic and organic materials in extensive analytical facilities accredited to the ISO 17025 or ISO 9002 standard includes fully instrumented, comprehensive mineralogical capabilities unique in the private sector provides diamond exploration and bulk sample testing services offers accredited environmental testing and consulting services ranging from characterization of ores, mine products and wastes to tailings covers testing

Major Activities
The major activities of the Canadian group include:

• analytical and mineralogical support to late-stage exploration or development programs
• process and flowsheet development for recovery and purification of pay metals
• generation of engineering data for plant design purposes
• evaluation and stabilization of discharge streams and waste products
• on-site technical evaluations and audits
• development of new and innovative technologies for complex ore processing

Metallurgical Operations
Metallurgical Operations conducts flowsheet development, testing at bench and pilot-plant scales, provides on-site consulting services for audits and process optimization in the following areas:

Mineral Processing Crushing, grinding (autogenous, semi-autogenous, ball-, rod- mill), work-index determination, grinding circuit optimization, size classification, thickening. Dense media, gravity, magnetic (electromagnetic and permanent magnetic, high and low intensity, wet and dry) and electrostatic separation.

Flotation (locked cycle and batch testing). Upgrading of industrial minerals. Flocculation, reagent development, simple and complex pilot-plant testing, process automation, in-plant consulting.

Hydrometallurgy Atmospheric leaching, biological and pressure leaching. Cyanidation and other lixiviants and adsorption recovery processes. Metal purification and recovery processes such as SX and EW. Rheology of tailings and ore slurries. On-Site Services Audits, troubleshooting, determination of bottlenecks, development of process efficiencies, metallurgical commissioning, on-site pilot plants, training, routine assistance “hands”.

Analytical, Mineralogical and Environmental Operations
The Canadian analytical, mineralogical and environmental groups offer testing and consulting services in support of the metallurgical activities and on a custom basis for external clients. The group has been producing bankable metallurgical and analytical data for over 60 years. With over 2,500,000 determinations a year and prompt turn-around, our laboratories continue to meet and exceed our client’s growing expectations in fields that include:

Anion and speciation. Due diligence and check sample analysis, settlement and umpire assays. Complex organic analysis. Environmental analysis. Acute toxicology testing using trout and Daphnia magna. Bacteriological analysis and identification, occupational health analysis.

Mineralogy Mineralogical identification, petrographic analysis and textural studies. Process mineralogy (predictive and ore mineralogy, liberation and deportment studies) and exploration mineralogy (petrographic descriptions). Environmental mineralogy (waste rock studies, contaminant and tailings characterization). Sizing. Mineral separation facilities (heavy liquids, gravity, magnetic, magnetic susceptibility).

Environmental Services Acid rock drainage testing,  Static and kinetic acid-base accounting testing. Sludge densification, leachate characterization (Reg. 347, EPA, BC, Quebec and ASTM protocols). Baseline environmental studies, impact studies, physical properties testing (e.g. settling, compaction, plastic limits, consolidation).

Facilities Locations

Lakefield, Ontario:
Provides comprehensive testing & consulting services in mineral processing, hydrometallurgy, environmental management, mineralogical & diamond services & offers organic & inorganic analytical services. Scope of service ranges from simple bench-scale investigations to fully integrated pilot-plant operations.

Toronto Ontario:
Provides comprehensive testing & consulting services in mineral processing, hydrometallurgy, mineralogical & diamond services. Scope of service ranges from simple bench-scale investigations to fully integrated pilot-plant operations.

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