X-MET8000 Expert Geo

Mining companies seek ways to improve operations and reduce costs without compromising product quality. Product Manager Christelle Petiot examines how the X-MET8000 Expert Geo from Hitachi High-Tech can help.

The investment topic will top the agenda when the Mining Indaba takes place this year. After a decade of low demand and plunging commodity prices, the mining industry has shown some signs of recovery. As investors consider their options, they’ll seek to secure a return on investment on any capital they put into mining projects.

The X-MET8000 Expert Geo is an analyzer that can help mining companies increase efficiency, lower costs, and shorten the time to market. Delivering rapid, on-site geochemical analysis, it’s ideal for use throughout the mining process, including exploration, planning, grade control, tailing operations, and environmental screening during decommissioning.

Here’s why mining professionals are choosing the X-MET:

1 - It’s fast:
No special sample preparation is required; expose the mineral you want to test and pull the trigger, and the results will appear on the X-MET8000 Expert Geo’s screen in seconds. Multiple analyses can be taken from the exact location or across a mining site, vastly reducing the need to send samples away to external labs for testing. This saves time and money and helps mining companies and investors make decisions faster.

2 - It’s portable:
Weighing only 1.5kg and with a compact design, the X-MET8000 Expert Geo is a handheld analyzer that can be easily carried from location to location on a mining site, both in open pit and underground operations. It has a 10-12 hour battery life, and hundreds of samples can be tested daily.

3 - It’s tricky:
Today, Mining companies are exploring the world’s most remote regions in some of the harshest environments. The X-MET8000 Expert Geo has been designed for these harsh conditions, with a large heat sink to maintain stability and reliability in the hottest climates. Its body is dust and splashproof to IP54 and NEMA 3 standards and includes rubber bumpers to prevent shocks. It has been tested to the MIL-STD-810G military standard for the drop, shock, and vibration resistance.

4 - It’s easy to use:
The X-MET’s user interface is intuitive and can be used with minimal training. Results are displayed on its 4.3-inch color touchscreen, and the large icons give easy access to all the X-MET’s functionality, even when wearing gloves.

5 - It delivers superior performance:
Hitachi High-Tech’s BOOST ™ technology makes the X-MET8000 Expert Geo faster and up to 10 times more sensitive than other handheld XRF analyzers. It can measure up to 40 elements out of the box, with additional calibration sets available to test various materials. Thanks to its sensitivity, it can analyze even low-grade ores and detect trace elements, which is ideal for environmental screening and tailings.

6 - It’s connected:
With mining corporations using more integrated digital systems, data management is another strong suit for the X-MET8000 Expert Geo. Our app allows you to share results with colleagues, clients, and suppliers for fast decision-making. The results from multiple analyzers can be linked to the same cloud account to cover a large mining operation and manage data in real-time. The X-MET also has GPS to combine test location coordinates with results for flawless site mapping. It also works with Trimble® receivers for more accurate location data. The unit can store up to 100,000 results and generate and export customized PDF and CSV reports. Combined with a portable Bluetooth printer, the X-MET can be used on-site to print off labels for sample bags to help prevent mix-ups.

7 - It’s reliable:
With over 40 years of experience, Hitachi High-Tech has innovated, tested, and honed XRF technology to provide solutions for the latest testing requirements in handheld and lab-based formats. Our first X-ray products were developed and used internally more than 40 years ago as a division of Outokumpu Oy, and our first X-MET products reached the market in 1974. Hitachi High-Tech is the company industries turn to for the most reliable analysis equipment.