NCS Fire Assay Laboratory Transformation: Full Case Study
Gold prices have reached record highs. Now is the time for mining operations to strengthen their assay capabilities. This month, we’re highlighting our containerised fire assay laboratories—a new ELS offering inspired by an actual case study*. The NCS fire assay laboratory upgrade broke the traditional upgrade mould by upgrading the legacy facility into a modern, high-integrity laboratory.
The Challenge
The fire assay laboratory was initially constructed in the 1980s. As such, the facility suffered from outdated equipment, poor ventilation, and inefficient workflow patterns. Heat exposure posed safety risks, whilst cramped conditions limited throughput capacity.
The Solution
The supplier delivered a purpose-built facility featuring mechanised furnace loading, improved fume extraction, and dedicated fluxing, parting, and weighing zones. All systems were designed to optimise assay accuracy and throughput simultaneously.
The new layout delivered immediate benefits:
Risk Reduction: By eliminating heat exposure risks through improved ventilation and equipment positioning.
Expanded Capacity: By increasing working areas significantly while maintaining optimal workflow patterns.
Enhanced Flow: Through logical process sequencing and dedicated functional zones to improve operational efficiency.
Consolidated Operations: Integrating all assay functions into a single, purpose-designed room layout.
Key Features Delivered
- Replacement and modernisation of all furnaces
- Mechanised loading and unloading systems
- Integrated fume extraction throughout the facility
- Dedicated rooms for fluxing, parting, and weighing operations
Outstanding Results
The laboratory was completed in only three months using local and external contractors. The client avoided three months of potential downtime while dramatically enhancing reproducibility across their gold assays.
This technique delivered maximum value: strategic phasing allowed continuous operations throughout the upgrade process. Understanding this approach will enable you to modernise your facilities without production losses.
The completed facility now serves as a model of assay efficiency. It demonstrates our commitment to helping clients extract maximum value from their operations whilst improving quality and confidence in assay data.
Introducing Containerised Fire Assay Laboratories
Building on this success, ELS now offers containerised fire assay laboratories for gold mining operations. These modular systems deliver the same high-integrity capabilities in a flexible, deployable format. Ideal for remote locations or temporary operations that require reliable assay capabilities.
Need a summary? Read the project highlights in our quick overview here.
*Dave Harvey, our Technical Director, consulted on this project before joining our fold. We are proud to now have direct access to his intellectual property and expertise. As such, ELS is well-positioned to assist clients with similar laboratory upgrade projects.
