Laboratory equipment

Upgrade your sample preparation and analysis with an automated laboratory

Your operation's profitability relies on timely and accurate decision-making, supported by data you can trust. Laboratory automation from FLS delivers this, providing precise, consistent, and prompt quality control data and improved analysis. Automating your laboratory also enhances worker safety.

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Our automated laboratories

Our automated mineral processing laboratories deliver accurate, reliable data for process and quality control and optimisation. We have extensive experience delivering laboratories for most mining and mineral processing applications, such as iron and steel, precious metals, including automated fire assaying, non-ferrous, and phosphates. We supply complete lab automation, integrating all equipment needed to prepare and analyse both dry samples and slurries. Each automated lab is configured and optimised to your application, capacity, and layout requirements. 

Maintenance & Service of automated laboratories

Regular servicing and aftermarket support are critical to maintaining the performance benefits of your automated laboratory. We will typically be involved in installing and commissioning the lab, including post-commissioning optimisation. We then continue to support you through preventative maintenance services, spare and wear parts supply, and breakdown support via our highly specialised global support teams.

Learn more about FLS service centres

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Frequently asked questions

FAQs for automated laboratories

Automated laboratories for mining use advanced automation and robotics to handle mineral samples from various stages of the mining and mineral processing flowsheet, delivering data that support process and quality control and optimisation.

Lab automation delivers several benefits including enhanced data consistency and accuracy, improved lab safety, and more rapid sample throughput, compared to manual laboratories.

For most applications, the complete laboratory process can be automated. For example, we deliver fully integrated automated laboratory solutions for end-to-end sample preparation and analysis. 

Costs will vary depending on the application and throughput, but automated laboratories are generally more expensive to implement than manual laboratories. However, operating costs are often lower for automated labs. 

There is no general answer to how many staff will be required since this will depend on the specific application, but automated laboratories will, in most applications, require fewer staff than manual laboratories. 

In most applications, automated laboratories are more economical to operate than manual laboratories due to savings in personnel costs, consumables, and reagents. Whether these savings will offset the higher capital expenditure required largely depends on sample throughput.