International and local recognition have come to CSIRO's QEM*SEM, the world's leading image analysis system for mineral samples.
Paul Gottlieb of CSIRO Minerals, developer of QEM*SEM (Quantitative Evaluation of Minerals by Scanning Electron Microscopy), today received one of three 1997 CSIRO Medals, which are awarded annually for outstanding research achievements.
Dr Colin Adam, CSIRO Deputy Chief Executive, said that for the past decade Paul Gottlieb has been the driving force in the development of QEM*SEM, which provides automatic computer analysis of stored mineral images, off line, size by size and particle by particle. It is used to assess the value of exploration discoveries and to streamline metallurgical processes.
"Paul Gottlieb's reputation as a research leader in mineral image analysis has been critical in achieving overseas sales of QEM*SEM," said Dr Adam. "The system has recently been acquired by Rio Tinto, the South African based Goldfields organisation, and negotiations are underway with other companies in South Africa, Chile, Canada, and the USA."
Dr Adam said that the New Generation QEM*SEM can also be 'retrofitted' to existing SEM systems, thus providing a beachhead for CSIRO commercialisation in overseas countries.
"QEM*SEM is world market leader, being the only reliable way of rapidly and routinely providing accurate mineral maps of complex systems," said Dr Adam. "Some two thousand samples are analysed each year for the Australian minerals industry, with minerals including lead, zinc, copper, nickel, silver, gold and platinum.
"QEM*SEM made possible the treatment of the complex Hellyer ore, and was the basis of major modification of the lead/zinc plant at Mt Isa Mines," said Dr Adam. "Several Australian companies use QEM*SEM to measure their product stream on a monthly basis to provide long-term information on trends in mineralogy and plant performance."
Dr Adam said that Mr Gottlieb, who was part of the early development team of QEM*SEM, has recently been the driving force of the enhanced 'Next Generation QEM*SEM' system.
"The new system enables the assessment of ever more complex ores, and the extension to deal with hydrometallurgical leach products for the first time.
"The impact of this technology on the Australian minerals industry has been huge," said Dr Adam. "QEM*SEM's reputation, and Paul Gottlieb's, has spread around the world's major international companies involved in mineral ore evaluation and mining."
(Chairman's Medal) The Infectious Bursal Disease Virus research team, led by Drs Ahmed Azad, Colin Ward and Kevin Fahey for the development of a prototype vaccine against IBDV, a major disease of poultry.
Dr Jim Davidson, for contributions to wheat breeding and agronomy; Dr Davidson developed wheat varieties (Lawson, Paterson, Gordon) which have transformed agricultural and economic prospects of the high-rainfall zone of Eastern Australia, and led to the creation of a new national feed wheat industry.
Dr Raymond Smith, for his contributions to mineral exploration; Dr Smith is an internationally recognised leader in the development of geological and geochemical exploration methods for base metals, rare metals and gold. His methods have been instrumental in such major discoveries as the Plutonic and Bronzewing gold deposits.
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Andrea Boothroyd 03-9545-8500
0417-304-822