ACT-UIS has signed another major contract, this time for the determination of the Limit of Oxidised Coal (LOX) which is being investigated during an extensive chip drilling programme for coal in north-western Mozambique by one of the biggest mining companies in the world. As the drilling project requires fast turn-around times in order to make geological decisions for an effective drilling programme, the laboratory, together with the client, has designed a time-efficient sink/float process followed by the determination of the swelling index of coal.

 

This process involves the air-drying of the drill core sample, the float and sink at one density, the drying, pulverisation and the determination of the Crucible Swelling Number (CSN, also Free Swelling Index) of the float material. An average of over a 1000 samples per month will be handled by the laboratory and it is expected that the programme will continue for several months. The laboratory has also procured new equipment and special chemicals for the project.

 

The programme would have been difficult to conduct for the client as fast analysis turn-around times play a crucial role in the success of the project. It was therefore a great benefit for the client to have a laboratory operation readily available close to the project site.