Specim to Scan Sweden’s Drill Cores

Hyperspectral imaging instruments and systems maker Specim Spectral Imaging Ltd. announced Tuesday that it has signed one of the largest optical and mineralogical core-scanning projects in the world: a €1.7 million contract with the Geological Survey of Sweden (SGU).

Under the deal, Specim, working with South Africa-based partner GeoSpectral Imaging, will scan and analyze 200 km of hyperspectral imaging data of Sweden's archived drill core. The instrument will capture visible, near-infrared and high-resolution RGB images, all in a single scan. The resulting uniform national drill core database will be used for further macroanalysis.

"The drill cores cover more than 100 years of exploration. This project will transform Sweden's mineralogical data into digitized, actionable insight," said Kaj Lax, head of the mineral resources department at SGU, who added that the material will be freely available on the Internet and “will be of great value for exploration, research and mapping.”

“Specim has made a strategic decision to move in the supply chain from an equipment manufacturer to a service provider through internal structuring and by partnering. This contract is a confirmation of our strategy working in action," said Risto Kalske, chairman of the Specim board.

Specim was a finalist for a 2013 Prism Award for photonics innovation in the Detectors, Sensing, Imaging and Cameras category for its AisaFENIX imager.

For more information, visit: www.specim.fi