Instrumentation for Metals, Mining & Materials
XRF analysis, engineered temperature measurement, and industrial gas-flow instruments for exploration, process control, material verification, production, recycling, and laboratories.
From field screening to controlled materials analysis
Mining and materials operations require rapid information about elemental composition, ore and raw-material characteristics, alloy grade, restricted substances, process conditions, and product consistency. Measurement workflows range from field screening and receiving inspection to controlled laboratory analysis and high-temperature production monitoring.
Blue Dragon Technology supports these activities with handheld and benchtop XRF instruments, engineered temperature assemblies for furnaces and thermal equipment, and ultrasonic gas-flow meters for suitable process-gas applications. Method selection depends on the elements, matrix, sample preparation, calibration, measurement time, environment, and decision being made.
Measurement challenges in this industry
Elemental composition
Determine the elemental profile of ores, minerals, metals, alloys, powders, solids, and prepared samples.
Grade and material verification
Confirm alloy grade, incoming materials, fabricated components, maintenance replacements, and recycled material streams.
Field and mine-site screening
Obtain rapid information for exploration, grade control, sorting, contamination screening, and sample selection.
Sample and calibration effects
Control surface condition, particle size, moisture, heterogeneity, geometry, preparation, calibration, and measurement time.
High-temperature process monitoring
Measure tube, surface, multipoint, furnace, and thermal-equipment temperatures with engineered assemblies.
Process-gas flow
Measure suitable furnace, fuel, combustion-support, vent, or process-gas applications with the correct ultrasonic configuration.
Typical process areas and streams
- Exploration, drilling, geological mapping, and field screening
- Ore, mineral, concentrate, and raw-material evaluation
- Grade control, stockpile management, and process laboratories
- Metals production, foundries, mills, fabrication, and heat treatment
- Positive material identification and incoming inspection
- Scrap sorting, recycling, restricted-substance, and contamination screening
- Quality-control, contract, and research laboratories
Applications used in this industry.
Elemental Composition Analysis
XRF measurement of elemental composition in metals, minerals, powders, solids, filters, soils, and prepared samples.
Explore →
Material Identification & Verification
XRF-based identification and verification of alloys, metals, components, incoming materials, maintenance replacements, and recycled material.
Explore →
Mining & Geochemical Screening
Field and laboratory XRF screening for exploration, ore, minerals, grade control, geochemistry, soils, concentrates, and mine-site decisions.
Explore →
Tube-Skin Temperature Measurement
Engineered thermocouple measurement of external tube-wall temperature in fired heaters, boilers, reformers, furnaces, and thermal equipment.
Explore →
Multipoint Temperature Profiling
Engineered measurement of temperature at multiple elevations or positions in reactors, columns, vessels, catalyst beds, and process equipment.
Explore →
Gasket-Mount Surface Temperature Measurement
Engineered surface-temperature measurement using a gasket-mounted thermocouple arrangement for suitable flanged equipment and process connections.
Explore →
Industrial Gas Flow Measurement
Ultrasonic gas-flow measurement for inline and insertion applications across natural gas, process gas, fuel gas, flare, vent, and high-temperature services.
Explore →Relevant measurement capabilities.
Explore the permanent Blue Dragon capability areas associated with this industry or application.
Elemental Analysis & Materials Characterization
X-ray fluorescence instruments for elemental composition, material identification, quality control, field screening, and industrial laboratories.
Explore series →Flow Measurement Series
Ultrasonic gas-flow measurement instruments manufactured by Lauris Technologies, Canada, and supplied and supported by Blue Dragon Technology.
Explore series →Temperature Measurement Series
Engineered temperature-measurement assemblies manufactured by MESIT, Italy, and supplied and supported by Blue Dragon Technology.
Explore series →Suitable instruments for this industry.
Available
BDT-GT Gasket-Mount Surface Thermocouples
Compact gasket-mount thermocouples for bolted or stud-mounted surface-temperature measurement on machinery, engines, housings, bearings, flanges, and industrial equipment.
View instrument
Available
BDT-MP Multipoint Temperature Assemblies
Custom multipoint temperature assemblies with multiple thermocouple or RTD sensing points for measuring temperature profiles at defined elevations or depths within reactors, columns, vessels, tanks, and kilns.
View instrument
Available
BDT-SKIN Tube-Skin Thermocouples
Engineered tube-skin thermocouple assemblies for direct tube-wall temperature measurement in petrochemical heaters, boiler and superheater tubes, and other demanding thermal-process equipment.
View instrument
Available
ElementX B1 Vacuum Benchtop XRF Spectrometer
Vacuum benchtop EDXRF platform with a 50 kV tungsten-target tube, Fast-SDD detector, 6 mm collimator, sample camera, integrated touchscreen computer, and elemental-analysis software.
View instrument
Available
ElementX H1 Handheld XRF Spectrometer
Handheld EDXRF platform with Fast-SDD detection, Ag-target X-ray tube, touchscreen Linux interface, dual batteries, and application-specific analysis modes and calibrations.
View instrumentRelated industries.
Research & Industrial Laboratories
Flexible analytical instruments for water, organic carbon, elemental composition, material verification, method development, and quality control.
Explore →
Power Generation
Measurement systems for fuels, boiler and high-purity water, fired equipment, gas flow, materials, and conventional or nuclear generation.
Explore →
Fertilizers & Chemicals
Analytical and engineered measurement systems for feedstocks, process gases, reactors, utilities, effluent, flow, and material quality.
Explore →Industry questions.
When should handheld XRF be used instead of benchtop XRF?
Handheld XRF supports rapid field, inspection, and sorting work. Benchtop XRF provides a more controlled laboratory geometry and may support prepared samples and repeatable workflows. The application determines the preferred format.
Does XRF measure every element equally well?
No. Performance depends on the instrument configuration, element, concentration, matrix, sample thickness, preparation, surface condition, calibration, atmosphere, and measurement time.
Can XRF results be used directly for final commercial decisions?
Results must be validated for the intended method and decision. Screening, grade verification, compliance, and quantitative laboratory work require appropriate calibration, reference materials, procedures, and quality controls.
Can temperature and gas-flow instruments be applied in metallurgical plants?
Yes, where the equipment geometry, temperature, gas properties, flow range, installation, and materials are compatible with the selected configuration.
Discuss your metals, mining, or materials application.
Provide the sample or process, target elements or measurement, expected range, matrix, preparation, operating environment, throughput, and required decision or reporting basis.