SASKATOON, Sask. — The Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC) unveiled TracePoint on Wednesday, Nov. 4, a fully automated indicator mineral analysis workflow that the organization says is a world first, developed through a five-year partnership with Hitachi High-Tech Canada.
The technology is designed to provide faster, more accurate and more detailed geological information to support mineral exploration and investment decisions, combining automated sample preparation, advanced mineral analysis and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven data interpretation.
The technology is particularly significant for Saskatchewan, home to 27 of Canada's 34 critical minerals, including huge deposits of uranium, potash and rare earth elements needed for electric vehicles and renewable energy sources such as wind turbines.
Minister responsible for the SRC Warren Kaeding said the technology represents an important advancement for the province's resource economy, where exploration decisions often involve substantial financial commitments and uncertainty.
"Better information certainly is going to help companies focus their efforts and make more informed investments," said Kaeding, adding that the technology could help identify deposits that previous exploration methods may have missed.
At the heart of TracePoint is indicator mineral analysis, which examines tiny mineral grains found in glacial till and other geological materials. These grains act as geological breadcrumbs, helping exploration companies trace potential mineral deposits.
Traditionally, technicians had to manually prepare samples and examine individual grains under microscopes, a time-consuming approach that limited the information available.
The system combines micro-X-ray fluorescence, scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive spectroscopy to generate extensive quantitative mineralogical datasets. These records can be stored, revisited and further analyzed using machine learning and AI.
SRC president and CEO Mike Crabtree said TracePoint addresses a longstanding challenge for the mining industry: obtaining reliable geological information quickly enough to make informed decisions.
"In sample preparation alone, work that could take a highly skilled technician a full week can now be completed in a matter of hours," Crabtree said.
He added that faster analysis and more detailed information could help companies make drilling decisions while exploration teams are still in the field.
President at Hitachi High-Tech Canada Chad Ostrander said the technology also dramatically increases processing capacity. SRC's previous manual operations could process only a few hundred samples annually, compared with approximately 10,000 samples per year through TracePoint.
"This fully automated end-to-end solution allows 10,000 a year, so 50 to 100 times the rate of production," said Ostrander, who described the advancement as transformative, particularly for developing more detailed mineral maps across Canada's resource-rich landscape.
SRC director of Sorting and Separation Services Michael Cunningham said the development represents several years of work by the organization's Sorting and Separation team. He highlighted the combination of specialized equipment, analytical instruments and digital interpretation capabilities.
"SRC is now offering a revolutionary suite of indicator mineral analysis services not available anywhere else in the world."
The five-year partnership brought together SRC and several Hitachi Group companies, including JR Automation, BlackSquare, Hitachi Ltd. and Hitachi High-Tech.
Ostrander said the partnership transformed a traditionally manual process into a scalable, data-driven workflow. He also emphasized the importance of developing and operating the technology in Canada, noting that Saskatchewan's extensive historical exploration records provide a significant advantage.
SRC estimates that 40 to 60 years of archived geological samples could be re-examined using the new technology, potentially revealing previously overlooked mineral opportunities. For mining companies, TracePoint could reduce exploration uncertainty, limit unnecessary drilling expenditures and help minimize environmental disturbance.
Kaeding also highlighted its potential to quantify mineral resources and support international trade, particularly as global demand for uranium and other critical minerals increases. He said the technology could support exploration efforts not only in Saskatchewan but also in other provinces and jurisdictions across Canada.
SRC and Hitachi are already looking toward expanding the technology's capabilities, with Ostrander reporting a strong pipeline of business extending into the following year and interest from international companies. The first installation represents an investment of several million dollars, with additional equipment potentially being introduced as demand grows.
For Saskatchewan, TracePoint represents an opportunity to strengthen its position in the global critical minerals industry by combining its geological expertise with advanced technology. Crabtree said better exploration is the foundation for helping Canada locate new critical mineral sources and strengthen future global supply chains.
