Operating efficiency is becoming paramount as the mining industry moves towards globalisation and conglomeration. Mining companies are continuously searching for new technologies that can improve plant efficiency, by reducing operating costs and maximising metal recovery._x000D_
Identification of how gold losses occur within an operating plant is crucial for determining appropriate operating strategies for improved metallurgical performance. Classical mineralogical and metallurgical techniques enable the operator to identify where losses occur in terms of particle size and mineral associations, however how the gold is hosted within the mineral grains (for example, as solid solution or as fine micro-inclusions) is more difficult to determine._x000D_
This paper provides details of the testwork methodology, and resultant laboratory study to improve gold recovery._x000D_
FORMAL CITATION:Chapman, N, Prince, K, Evans, P, Radke, F, Hayward, P and Lester, N, 2004._x000D_
Identifying gold losses through the application of SIMS technology, in Proceedings Metallurgical Plant Design and Operating Strategies 2004, pp 353-364 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).