This news release first appeared on the Government of Saskatchewan website.
The Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC) Geoanalytical Laboratories is celebrating its 50th anniversary of providing high quality analysis to the exploration and mining industry.
The lab started in 1973 as an internal service for the geologists working at SRC and over the years evolved into a world-class laboratory serving external industry clients from around the globe. It offers geochemical and mineralogical analysis with expertise in base metals, gold, lithium, uranium, potash, rare earth elements and diamonds.
"Saskatchewan is one of the most attractive mining jurisdictions in the world and having the SRC Geoanalytical Laboratories located in the province to help support industry only adds to that attraction," Minister Responsible for SRC Jeremy Harrison said. "Over the past 50 years, SRC Geoanalytical Laboratories has shown notable achievements in the evolution of geochemistry and mineralogy that have supported clients with their mineral exploration and mining operations."
In 2021, a new purpose-built facility was created for SRC's Mining and Minerals Division, which provided SRC Geoanalytical Laboratories with more space to improve sample flow and reduce the turnaround time for clients. Also, that year, SRC took on TSL Laboratories' clients and assets after its owner's retired, which expanded the lab's capacity for gold and precious metal fire assay.
To round out the recent changes, the lab added a mineral characterization service, which provides mining and exploration clients the ability to test their ores' amenability to sorting and choose the appropriate type of equipment or sensor for sorting - a service unique to SRC. The lab currently provides chemical analysis for exploration and mining companies, as well as other services, such as mineral identification and mineralogical services.
"SRC Geoanalytical Laboratories is continually expanding its facilities to match the growth and changes in the exploration and mining industry sectors and to meet the needs of our clients," SRC President and CEO Mike Crabtree said. "With an eye on new technologies and our finger on the pulse of industry, it'll be exciting to see what the lab can achieve in the coming decades."
SRC is Canada's second largest research and technology organization. With over 300 employees, $277 million in annual revenue and 75 years of experience, SRC provides services and products to its 1,400 clients in 23 countries around the world.
