Blog icon

The challenge

Determining the concentration of gold in process streams

Gold and other precious metals have, to date, been impossible to measure on-line because their concentration levels have been well below the detection limit of available analysers. As a result, valuable metals have gone undetected to waste representing a substantial loss in potential revenue.

The ability to detect lower levels of precious metals would enable processing plants to optimise these circuits and recover the full value contained for improved productivity.

Our response

Sensor technology that provides measurement results in real time


Silver machinery
The OnLine Gold Analyser (OLGA) provides insights into process performance that are unobtainable with assayed sample sets ©  Gekko

By capturing this data, plant metallurgists and operators can monitor and adjust their operations in real time in order to increase recovery rates and minimise gold losses to waste streams.

The On-line Gold Analyser (OLGA) is built upon new x-ray fluorescence (XRF) techniques and is capable of detecting ultra-low levels of gold and other elements from a continuous process stream.


The results

Real-time gold data in slurry streams

In 2017, we partnered with Gekko Systems, a leading Australian Mining Equipment, Technology and Services (METS) company, to bring the technology to market.

OLGA was successfully tested in a controlled environment and trialled in the field with an Australian gold mining company.

For the first time, gold was detected in the slurry streams in real-time, with around 1000-times better accuracy than conventional methods.

The technology is giving gold plant operators data, enabling them to increase their processing efficiencies and recover more value.

Mining companies seeking to access the technology at their mine sites should contact Gekko.

We've partnered with Gekko Systems to bring the OnLine Gold Analyser (OLGA) to market. Left to right: Gekko's Group Manager for Innovation and Collaboration, Richard Goldberg and CSIRO Mineral Resources Director, Jonathan Law.

Do business with us to help your organisation thrive

We partner with small and large companies, government and industry in Australia and around the world.

Contact us now to start doing business

Contact us

Find out how we can help you and your business. Get in touch using the form below and our experts will get in contact soon!

CSIRO will handle your personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and our Privacy Policy.


First name must be filled in

Surname must be filled in

I am representing *

Please choose an option

Please provide a subject for the enquriy

0 / 100

We'll need to know what you want to contact us about so we can give you an answer

0 / 1900

You shouldn't be able to see this field. Please try again and leave the field blank.