Several case studies are examined in which analysis of treated ores and
extracted metal species by Mossbauer spectroscopy provides information
not available by other competing techniques. The cases include poorly
crystalline, surface iron oxides in titanium minerals and chalcopyrite, gold
in ores and bacterially oxidised ores and the adsorbed species from gold
extracted from cyanide and chloride solutions onto activated carbon and
polyurethane foams. Some limitations on the use of the technique in
terms of sample size, sensitivity and counting time are also discussed.