Environmental
Environmental
The key to environmental monitoring is analytical testing. X-ray Mineral Services can provide a comprehensive suite of analytical techniques for clients operating in the environmental protection sector. This includes XRF, ICP, XRD of soil, sediments, sludge and slag to determine any elemental toxicity and mineral phase. These analyses can be undertaken in the laboratory using the META1 technique. The alternative is to deploy our META2 portable equipment onsite as a toxicity screening service. Instruments such as pXRF and pLIBS can provide accurate elemental data in less 5 minutes and can be used to high-grade areas on site which exceed environmental thresholds and require confirmational analysis in the laboratory. FTIR technology will determine mineralogy on site and also the presence of polluting organic solvents. This META2 workflow helps to optimise site investigations and minimise laboratory testing of field samples.
-
Provide a comprehensive suite of analytical techniques
-
Cutting edge research in the field of acid mine water clean up
-
Array of techniques that quantify PHE at historic and contemporary mine sites
We are currently undertaking cutting edge research in the field of acid mine water clean up in collaboration with the Welsh Government. This research will not only reduce contamination but also has the added benefit of extracting potential commercial levels of metals from polluted water courses.
- Elemental, mineralogical and organic analysis
- Characterisation of waters, rocks, soils, sediments
- Industrial waste characterisation
- Onsite elemental, mineralogical and organic screening
- Mine water clean up
- Evaluation of unknown substances in contaminated industrial sites
- Mineralogical studies for disposal or reprocessing of tailings
- Monitoring for respirable quartz and other toxic substances
X-ray Mineral Services offer an array of techniques that quantify potentially harmful elements (PHE) at historic and contemporary mine sites. These include the identification of point sources of contamination via XRD and XRF, as well as subsequent mine water contamination analysis via ICP. The company is experienced in the monitoring of mine sites to identify hydroclimatic and chemical variability and the effects of PHE contamination on the local environment. Regular water sampling in conjunction with the use of ICP analysis can identify periods of increased PHE concentration and flux caused by variance in hydroclimatic and chemical conditions, flush events, and other processes. The analyses available through X-ray Mineral Services’ environmental monitoring workflows provide both the identification of suitable remediation systems and serve to identify PHE that could be commercially extracted during the remediation process. Water quality monitoring and targeted emplacement of remediation systems can reduce impacts of contamination which has the potential to improve the ecological status of fluvial systems proximal to mine sites.