A Major Transformation in Mining: The Impact of Continuous Geochemical Scanning 

By Veracio 

With the mining industry seeking to enhance efficiency in decision-making and increase the depth of geological interpretation, one technology is revolutionizing the standard by which drill cores are evaluated. It is the continuous geochemical scanning of cores using Scan by Veracio (formerly Minalyzer). This tool is overcoming the limitations of handheld sensors, particularly in complex geological contexts such as kimberlites, which are defined as volcanic igneous rocks that often contain diamonds. 

For Alexandrina Fulop, a petrologist with over 15 years of experience studying these deep magmatic bodies, the difference is substantial. She says, “I’ve worked with portable XRF for years, doing thousands of analyses. But the Scan by Veracio, a solution provided by the company Veracio, was a turning point. Scanning the entire core reveals details that simply couldn’t be visualized before.” 

In her work with De Beers, Fulop reports that Scan by Veracio was implemented as part of a broad technology evaluation. Although different options were evaluated, the expert identifies the Minalyze XRF solution as a key enabler in that project. 

In this context, one of the most revealing observations was the geochemical effect of the host rock on the kimberlites, as evidenced by continuous scanning with Scan by Veracio.  

“We thought the chemical changes marked different magmatic pulses, but in reality, some were the result of fragments incorporated from the country rock (or host rock),” says Fulop. “That finding disproved a hypothesis that had been assumed for years in the study of the origin of these bodies.” 

Beyond the diamond context, Fulop highlights the value of having dense, continuous, and visual data. She says, “It’s possible to detect anomalies in a single element over hundreds of meters and correlate them precisely with other cores. A data scientist I worked with once said: ‘with this data, I can build whatever I want.’” 

An integrated technology 

In an environment where absolute precision is not always necessary, continuous scanning offers something equally valuable, if not more so: context.  

“You don’t need 100 per cent accuracy if you have a reliable baseline and an enormous amount of data,” says Fulop. “Today it’s possible to compare, see patterns, and above all, make informed decisions much faster.” 

This approach is already influencing how exploration campaigns are designed and how mineral deposits are interpreted. For Fulop, the key is for geologists to take ownership of these tools, not avoid them, saying, “Yes, it means stepping out of your comfort zone. But once you see the results, there’s no going back.” 

In this regard, the Fulop maintains that continuous geochemical scanning does not replace the geologist; rather, it enhances their work.  

“It provides a dense, coherent, high-resolution database with which to interpret, correlate, and project hypotheses,” concludes the renowned petrologist. “As this technology is more widely adopted, lithological interpretations, deposit models, and even operational decisions will likely be transformed. This is not the future of exploration geology. It’s already happening.”