GeoBlock Fast Fingerprint Verification
The GeoBlock Fast Fingerprint Verification (GFFV) is the main product of GeoBlock. It aims at bringing the much needed objective transparency into the gold production industry.
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The GFFV is a big data analysis starting at the mine geology, from where the gold is mined, and ends at the refinery, where the gold is being refined. Every single product along this production line can be statistically tested for its origin using the GFFV.
How does it work?
GeoBlock starts at scanning a mine of origin. This needs to be done once, so that the geological fingerprint can be captured and processed. Every following product from that mine must be scanned at least one. All the information is then combined in algorithm "G1", a GeoBlock software that produces individual fingerprints for every product. For an artisanal mine, this may take one to two days.
At this point, the production chain is geochemically captured and saved in GeoBlock's database. Any new product at any point in the chain can now be checked. A doré, arriving at a refiner, can be checked and verified that it was originally mined at the coordinates that the papers indicate and GeoBlock previously measured.
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The tools used for such scans are called handheld X-ray fluorescence devices. Many companies like e.g., refiners, already own and use such devices, which lets them implement the solution with no further cost.
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For the sample test, GeoBlock offers its own code, which the customer can use to check their samples after scanning them. The customer also gets the choice to perform these basic statistical test themself, as G1 provides all commonly needed thresholds for such tests. Also visually, two fingerprints can immediately be told apart. An example of a fingerprint can be found below.
Image: Plot of ratios of automatically selected pseudo-elements by G1. C1-C6 as well as number of C# vary per mine, geology and country.