Facilities
The Wits Geometallurgy Laboratory, hosted by CORES, is a cutting-edge facility dedicated to advancing geometallurgical research and applications. The laboratory is equipped with a comprehensive suite of instruments and sensors to support a wide range of geometallurgical tests. These include sample preparation, milling, screening, and mineral recovery tests, as well as specialised techniques such as bottle roll tests, column leaching, fine and coarse particle leaching, and heavy mineral separation. The lab also facilitates the simulation of heap leaching and agglomeration processes, providing an opportunity to experiment with various eco-friendly reagents, including glycine-based combinations for sustainable mineral extraction.
For state-of-the-art mineralogical analysis, the lab features the TESCAN Integrated Mineral Analyzer (Tescan TIMA), a high-performance automated scanning electron microscope that delivers rapid, quantitative mineralogical data. Tescan TIMA is specifically designed to analyse particle textures, mineral associations, and liberation characteristics, offering unparalleled insights into ore properties and enabling process mineralogy studies. This comprehensive facility supports research and development that bridges fundamental science with practical industrial applications.
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Contract research and advisory services
CORES is home to a dedicated team of experts who offer contract research services that simultaneously support the academic growth of MSc, PhD, and Postdoctoral fellows. Through these collaborations, we ensure that cutting-edge research is directly aligned with industry and societal needs. In addition to research, CORES provides advisory services to governments, the minerals industry, and other interested groups, offering insights and solutions that address complex challenges in geosciences, mineral prospectivity mapping, geometallurgy, mineral resource management, mineral valuations, and sustainable practices. This dual focus on research and advisory services positions CORES as a hub for innovation and impactful knowledge dissemination.