Exploration and mining geochemical laboratory services provider MSALABS has expanded its global partnership with Chrysos Corporation, through which it will deploy 21 Chrysos PhotonAssay units across the globe by 2025.

MSALABS is a majority-owned subsidiary of mining services company Capital.

The roll-out of an initial six units is proceeding on track.

In April 2021, MSALABS revealed plans to deploy six PhotonAssay units across its global network, starting with a unit at Barrick Gold’s Tanzania-based Bulyanhulu gold mine. This represented the first Chrysos PhotonAssay unit deployment outside of Australia.

MSALABS has continued the rollout with units now commissioned at Firefinch’s Mali-based Morila gold mine and, in Canada, at Val d’Or.

A fourth unit will arrive imminently in Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire with facility preparations well advanced.

A fifth unit is ready for shipment to Barrick Gold’s Democratic Republic of Congo-based Kibali gold mine, while a sixth unit is due for installation in Timmins, Canada, by the end of the year.

A further 15 units will be rolled out over 2023 and 2024.

“Over the past year, we have seen very strong demand for Chrysos PhotonAssay, and we expect this interest to continue to grow as our global mining customers not only gain confidence in its accuracy and reliability, but also benefit from the substantially improved turnaround time for results not possible with fire assay,” comments MSALABS CEO Stuart Thomson.

In recent years, MSALABS has grown its network significantly and now has 18 laboratories globally.

“Having been only a small part of Capital’s business following the acquisition of a controlling interest in 2019, MSALABS has seen exceptional expansion and quickly become a meaningful contributor to group revenues,” says Capital executive chairperson Jamie Boyton.

MSALABS has become an early adopter of Chrysos PhotonAssay as it delivers multiple advantages over the slower, more hazardous fire assay process. The PhotonAssay technology provides faster, safer, more accurate and environment-friendly analysis of gold, silver, copper and other elements.

The process is significantly simpler than fire assay, dramatically improving the turnaround time for results and reducing the risk of human error, with the added benefit of being able to retain and retest samples.

In addition, the use of X-rays avoids the high temperatures and harmful chemicals, such as lead and acids involved in fire assay, making it more environment-friendly with a lower carbon footprint.

Going forward, MSALABS’s revenue guidance this year remains at about $30-million, including the rollout of the initial six Chrysos PhotonAssay units by year-end. Each unit generates between $3-million and $5-million, depending on its rate of use.

Following the rollout of the further 15 units across 2023 and 2024, in conjunction with the expansion of the existing geochemistry business, MSALABS anticipates generating revenues in excess of $80-million a year.