GRSG Conference 2020 Presentation

Title: New wavelength range options for the Specim SisuROCK drill core scanner

Author: Rainer Bärs

The Specim SisuROCK scanner is an automated hyperspectral core imaging instrument for reliable high-speed scanning of drill core and other materials. The SisuROCK can simultaneously host 3-4 pushbroom cameras with different wavelength regions or functions and the data for all cameras is collected during a single capture.

Typical scan time of a full core tray, from loading the tray to loading the next tray is 2-3 minutes. In one 8 hr shift 150 – 250 core trays can be scanned meaning throughput rates of more than 1000 meters per day are routine. A maximum scan rate of 3300 during one shift has been reported by TerraCore.

Previously available camera modules for the SisuROCK are VNIR, SWIR, VNIR+SWIR, LWIR and high-resolution RGB. Now SPECIM introduces two new options: the FX50 MWIR camera module with a wavelength range of 2.7 – 5.3 μm, 154 spectral bands and 640 spatial pixels.

This historically new wavelength range has many uses in mineral mapping, and more to be discovered.

The second camera is the laser topography mapping camera which provides a 3D image of the full core along with the core tray for e.g. geotechnical measurements like RQD characterisation.

It has 2560 spatial pixels across the scanning area giving a spatial resolution of < 300 μm, a height resolution of around 150 μm and a full image of the core instead of a single profile along the core.