Commercialising the Real-Time Identification of Minerals, Materials and Chemicals

Defence Trailblazer, the University of Adelaide and Loughan Technology Group have signed a research project agreement to advance the development and commercialisation of Novel Fluorescence technology. The groundbreaking project aims to address significant challenges in the real-time field detection of hazardous materials, minerals, and chemicals.

The current ability to determine the presence of specific elements in unknown minerals, identify asbestos in building sites, or detect drugs and explosive materials in real-time remains a critical challenge across various sectors, including mining, public health and national security. Existing methods require lab analysis, which is time-consuming and impractical for field applications.

The University of Adelaide, through its Prescott Environmental Luminescence Laboratory (PELL), an interdisciplinary research facility, brings together research expertise from the Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing (IPAS) and the Institute for Mineral and Energy Resources (IMER), has developed world-leading research in Novel Fluorescence, a revolutionary materials analysis technique. Novel Fluorescence enables rapid, non-contact identification of minerals and chemicals in real-time, making it ideal for field applications. This technology will be licensed for commercialisation by Loughan Technology Group.

“This partnership with the University of Adelaide and Defence Trailblazer represents a significant step forward in the commercialisation of Novel Fluorescence technology. Our goal is to create a platform for sovereign capability in materials sensing and identification, addressing critical needs in both defence and civilian sectors,” stated Rob Loughan, Chairman of Loughan Technology Group.

The scalable design of Novel Fluorescence devices allows for deployment in various scenarios, from microscopic analysis to handheld sensors and stand-off apparatus. This Defence Trailblazer project will establish a discovery facility to identify and validate Novel Fluorescence signatures across a wide range of materials, leading to the development of flexible, field-deployable prototypes.

“This Defence Trailblazer project represents a significant leap forward in our ability to detect, analyse, and understand complex material and chemical components with unprecedented precision. The commercialisation of this research is crucial for Australia’s sovereign capability, enabling us to develop dual-use technologies that can be applied across diverse range of industries,” shared Dr Margaret Law, General Manager – Technology Development and Acceleration at Defence Trailblazer.