FULLY AUTOMATED SAMPLE PREPARATION AND ANALYSIS IN THE MINING INDUSTRY

Laboratories are constantly faced with demands for improved quality, shorter sample turn around time, improved health and safety condition and better economical results. These laboratories have experienced that by automating one or more of their laboratory procedures, they will gain on all of these demands.One of these laboratories is studied: Reasons for automating, decisions for level of automation and selection of equipment. Special focus is given to dividing of the sample and avoiding contamination from one sample to another. A couple of the equipments included in the system are explained in details and results obtained from these are given.