October 2025 Newsletter
Simon Bolster
Co-founder and Managing Director
As we head toward the end of 2025 it’s a good time to reflect on what has been a transformative period for Portable PPB and our ever-expanding customer and distributor network.
Our mission to revolutionise gold exploration and mining through fit-for-purpose on site gold analyses and other pragmatic solutions continue to gain momentum and help our clients find gold faster, breaking traditional work routines through the ability to deliver fit-for-purpose assays on site, anywhere.
This quarter, we’ve expanded into Armenia, Indonesia, Fiji and Uruguay highlighting our agility and the global relevance of detectORE. Our products have now been shipped to 36 countries worldwide.
We’ve attended, participated and exhibited at a diverse range of conferences and caught up with many clients, industry sponsors and partners, making many new connections. On that front, things won’t be slowing down with Portable PPB set to exhibit at the Fennoscandian Exploration and Mining conference (FEM) in Finland and NewGenGold in Perth before the year is over.
Along with launching a Canadian subsidiary company with a stock warehouse in Vancouver, we’re also thrilled to welcome engineering and automation specialist, Block 10 to the team. Located in Melbourne, Australia Block 10 are experts in sample preparation, engineering and robotics. Our first joint project has been the development of a container lab, equipped to process hundreds of gold assays per day along with our automated pXRF reading system, RokBot.
Thank you for being part of our journey. We look forward to continuing to explore smarter and discover faster with you in 2026.
Welcome to the Team, Block 10
We are delighted to announce the acquisition of Block 10 Mining by Portable PPB, growing our capabilities with a team of engineering and automation experts.
Founded by mechatronic and design engineers with deep roots in mining innovation, Block 10 has built a reputation for solving complex problems with elegant, field-ready solutions.
Named after one of the original Broken Hill mining leases from the 1880’s, Block 10 pays homage to the pioneers of Australian mining. Today, they embody that legacy with a spirit of ingenuity and perseverance, developing portable crushers and mills to advanced robotic systems, and containerised labs.
Chief Engineer, Steve Russell leads the Melbourne-based team and is ready to get to work developing new hardware and automation solutions supporting the full mining cycle, from exploration to production.
From the first conversation with Steve and his team, it was clear Block 10 and Portable PPB shared a passion for doing things differently, for questioning conventional approaches and building practical solutions to drive change, fast.
As demand for detectORE grade and process control applications continues to grow. Block 10’s mine-site experience, particularly in installing equipment in rugged, high-throughput environments will be invaluable. Together, we will accelerate our product pipeline, leveraging that expertise to ensure our portfolio is designed for field conditions, wherever and however our clients are exploring and mining.
This partnership marks a significant step forward in our mission to make gold analysis faster, more accessible, and more responsive to the needs of modern mining operations.
Report detectORE Results to ASX
Several client companies have successfully used their detectORE results in stock exchange reporting, thanks to detectORE’s built-in QA/QC protocols. For those preparing a JORC Table 1, our team is always happy to assist, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
With gold prices reaching new all-time highs, listed companies are seeing near-daily inflows of capital. This surge is driving increased exploration activity, which will inevitably place pressure on laboratory turnaround times.
Instead of waiting weeks for lab results, companies can take the lab to the field with detectORE enabling rapid, on-site gold analysis. That means ‘Assays Pending’ should only apply to samples requiring full gold analysis for JORC-compliant resource estimates, and not for routine exploration samples.
Field-Ready Innovation: Container Lab
In September, we received the prototype of our new modular, field laboratory solutions. Developed in collaboration with Block 10, the containerised lab integrates sample preparation and analysis into a compact, mobile format designed for high-throughput workflows and rapid turnaround.
The modified container features a custom layout designed to support the full detectORE workflow and ROKBOT automation, enabling integrated screening, crushing, splitting, drying, and robotic analysis. Designed for efficiency and minimal infrastructure, the laboratory includes ergonomic workstations, automated handling and seamless digital integration. It is particularly suited to short-life mines and grade control programs, where speed and flexibility are critical.
This transportable lab will also support drill programmes, providing near real-time gold and pXRF multi-element results, and gold leachability insights. Rapid access to this information will guide and optimise drilling, along with aiding in the selection of samples requiring expensive laboratory analysis.
The container lab is part of our planned suite of detectORE deployment formats, providing a range of scalable options to suit any client or location. From travel cases to trailers, and shipping containers, exploration teams will scale their on-site analytical capabilities to suit their operational needs.
The containerised lab will be publicly showcased at the 2025 New Gen Gold Conference in Perth, Western Australia from the 18th to 19th of November. Attendees will be welcome to visit the lab and speak to the team first-hand.
Please contact us if you would like to discuss the container lab for your project.
Contact UsHow is detectORE transforming gold exploration in Côte d’Ivoire, Türkiye and Zimbabwe?
We asked three of our valued clients to share their thoughts.
Watch Now
Case Study: RC Drilling – Mauritania
To assess the suitability of detectORE for an advanced exploration project in Mauritania, customer samples from an RC drill programme were sent to our Perth HQ for a Blind Trial.
Using detectORE, analysis was performed on:
- Oxide and fresh percussion drill samples;
- Pulps and corresponding 1mm sieved samples; and,
- 6 hour and 12-hour mix times.
With the results compared with Fire Assay.
The corresponding results clearly demonstrated the flexibility of the detectORE system and its ability to provide decision quality data under a variety of scenarios. After all, one client’s ‘qualitative’ can be another’s ‘fit for purpose’.
This study provides data and down hole plots, clearly communicating the typical considerations of a detectORE customer (i.e. geology, particle size, and mix time!) Spoiler Alert: detectORE identifies the mineralised sections under all scenarios tested and provides outstanding quantification too!
Blind Trial Offer!
To validate detectORE on your samples, we will run up to 30 samples at no charge and send you the results. Don’t tell us the results, we are confident you will be impressed!
In-field Gold Assay Seminar – Pre NewGenGold25
Portable PPB will be hosting a free In-field Gold Assay Seminar near the Pan Pacific Hotel, Perth on the afternoon of Monday the 17th of November 3-5pm, ahead of the NewGenGold Conference.
This seminar will present recent detectORE R&D and projects that illustrate how real time gold results accelerate decision making and gold detection. detectORE has enabled three exploration companies to make new discoveries and is advancing project timelines in 36 countries.
Our new container lab will also be on display at the event.
Come and learn how you can apply detectORE on your project, be it exploration or grade control.
If you are interested in attending, please contact Todd or Simon for more information.
Date: Monday 17 November
Venue: Langley Park Pavilion, Terrace Rd, East Perth
Distributor Spotlight: GWM-Engineering
Kuopio-based, GWM-Engineering is a trusted name in analytical instrumentation and environmental monitoring in Finland. With over 30 years of experience GWM specialises in the import, distribution and servicing of technologies for elemental analysis, water quality, and geotechnical measurement. Their expertise in field-ready solutions (particularly pXRF) and commitment to calibration, training and support make them an ideal partner for Portable PPB.
As a distributor of detectORE in Finland for over one year, GWM is helping bring same-day, in-field gold analysis to exploration teams operating in remote and challenging environments. Their understanding of the Finnish mining industry and extensive contact network is helping us develop our business in Finland.
Portable PPB will be exhibiting alongside GWM at the FEM (Fennoscandian Exploration and Mining) conference in Levi, Finland from the 28th to the 30th of October, offering attendees a chance to learn more about detectORE and see the technology in action. Please reach out to Todd to arrange a meeting at FEM.
Employee Spotlight: Dr Wade Lonsdale
Dr Wade Lonsdale
Principal Research Scientist
Born and raised in Western Australia, Wade Lonsdale brings a blend of deep scientific expertise and inventive curiosity to his role as Principal Research Scientist at Portable PPB.
With a PhD in Analytical Chemistry from Edith Cowan University, Wade has spent over a decade developing cutting-edge sensing technologies from electrochemical pH sensors to spectroscopic tools. His research has been published in leading journals and has spanned applications from beverage testing to biomedical diagnostics.
Since joining Portable PPB over four years ago, Wade has led the development of our field-deployable trace gold analysis technique using portable XRF core to the detectORE system.
His work enables geologists to generate near real-time gold data in the field, dramatically reducing turnaround times and empowering faster decision-making.
Wade’s experience isn’t just lab-based, he’s worked hands-on in the field across Australia and Papua New Guinea, ensuring our technology is practical, robust and ready for real-world conditions. Outside of gold exploration, Wade’s background includes managing wine laboratories and developing 3D-printed sensors, showcasing his versatility and passion for applied science.
We’re proud to have Wade driving innovation at Portable PPB, helping us push the boundaries of geochemical analysis and redefine how gold is discovered and mined.
Upcoming Events: NewGenGold & Global Forums
Portable PPB is set to close out the year with a presence at key industry events, beginning with the Fennoscandian Exploration and Mining (FEM) conference in Finland this October 28th to 30th, where we will exhibit alongside our Finnish distributor, GWM Engineering.
In November from 18th to 19th, we will be exhibiting at NewGenGold Conference in Perth. The prototype container lab will be on display, offering attendees a firsthand look at our modular, high-throughput solution for in-field gold analysis.
Finally for 2025, in December Todd will attend Resourcing Tomorrow in London on the 2nd to 4th of December and Steven Russell from Block 10 will be attending AEMA’s Annual meeting in Sparks, Nevada from the 7th to 12th and will be at the STG Mining Booth.
October
28th – 30th OctoberLevi, Finland
November
18th – 19th NovemberPerth, Western Australia
December
2nd – 4th DecemberLondon, United Kingdom
7th – 12th DecemberNevada, USA
January
13th – 15th JanuaryRiyadh, Saudi Arabia
25th JanuaryLondon, United Kingdom
26th – 29th JanuaryVancouver, Canada
February
8th – 12th FebruaryCape Town, South Africa
17th – 19th FebruaryPerth, Western Australia
March
1st – 4th MarchToronto, Canada
Thank you!
From all of us at Portable PPB, thank you for being part of our continued success. We look forward to helping you explore smarter and discover faster.