There is an entire class of ore deposits that, until now, have gone unnoticed. Within these deposits, nanoscale precious metal particles are often coated with refractory (chemical and/or heat resistant) nanoscale minerals. Because of this refractory coating, precious metals are not always detected using industry standard metallurgy such as fire assay.

Using nanotechnology, Nanominerals Corp. (NMC) has repeatedly identified nanoscale precious metals and nanominerals in numerous geologic samples (drill holes, channel samples, pits, etc.). Armed with this new knowledge, NMC's scientists have developed new nanometallurgical methods to extract these precious metals.

The mining industry has gone through quantum shifts whenever the "next level" of identification or recovery is achieved and commercialized. The identification of micron, Carlin-type gold deposits in the 1960's and the commercialization of cyanide heap leaching on low-grade ore deposits in the 1970's significantly transformed the mining industry.

The recognition of the existence of nanoscale precious metal deposits and their economic extraction may well represent the next quantum shift in the mining industry.

The traditional mining industry is just scratching the surface of the potential of nanotechnology as it relates to mineral exploration. A conference was recently held in Vancouver, BC, "GOLD 2003 - New Industrial Applications for Gold", and was sponsored by the "World Gold Council" and the "Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum". Nanotechnology was a major discussion topic and several papers were presented.