Sciaps reveNIR Portable Handheld Analyzer

Sciaps reveNIR Portable Handheld Analyzer

What does it measure?

Unlike an XRF analyzer, which primarily tells you elemental composition, reveNIR measures spectral/mineralogical characteristics. This makes it particularly useful for recognizing minerals and alteration zones associated with mineral deposits.

SciAps specifically highlights applications involving:

• Epidote
• Calcite
• Chlorite
• Al-OH minerals
• Mg-OH minerals
• Illite and alteration characteristics
• Fe³⁺-related spectral information

It also calculates spectral scalars such as Al-OH, ISM (Illite Spectral Maturity), Mg-OH and Fe3t, which can provide additional vectors toward potential mineralization.

How it works

1. The instrument illuminates the sample.
2. It records the reflected light spectrum from 350–2500 nm.
3. Spectral absorption features are compared against mineral libraries.
4. The instrument identifies or predicts mineralogical characteristics.
5. Results can be stored with location/data information and exported or uploaded to the cloud.

This allows a geologist to make rapid decisions in the field rather than waiting for laboratory mineralogical analysis.

Main applications

Mining & mineral exploration

• Geological reconnaissance
• Drill-core logging
• Alteration mapping
• Pathfinder-mineral identification
• Exploration vectoring
• Rapid field characterization

Core scanning

An industrial version can be configured for core-scan mounting, making it useful for systematic drill-core analysis rather than only handheld spot measurements.

reveNIR vs portable XRF

SciAps positions reveNIR as complementary to portable XRF, rather than a replacement.

Important distinction

The reveNIR is not the same technology as the SciAps Z-series LIBS analyzers. The Z-series measures elemental emissions using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), while reveNIR uses Vis-NIR reflectance spectroscopy.

The reveNIR was also developed as a modern replacement for the discontinued ASD Halo, according to SciAps. It is approximately 50% smaller and 2 lb lighter than the original Halo.

In short: the SciAps reveNIR is best thought of as a field mineralogical analyzer for geologists—particularly valuable for alteration mapping, mineral identification and exploration vectoring, while XRF/LIBS instruments are better suited to determining elemental composition.

If you’re evaluating it for purchase, the next useful step is a reveNIR vs ASD Halo vs TerraSpec/FieldSpec comparison, including specifications and typical applications.

Key specifications