Services · Modular & Site-Built Laboratories
Service · Lab Engineering

Modular & Site-Built Laboratories

Mine-Site Met Labs · Design · Build · Commission · Train

Kappes, Cassiday & Associates (KCA) has built numerous modular and permanent laboratories for projects in Canada, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Turkey, Guatemala, and various states across the United States. Modular laboratories in shipping containers are ideal for short-term use and/or remote access; permanent laboratories built on-site provide ample space for long-term, production-scale operation.

6+
Countries built in
Modular + Permanent
Mode
Full QA/QC
Programs
Tech + Mgmt
Training

Scope of Every Lab Build

Laboratories, whether modular or permanent, include:
• Laboratory Design & Engineering
• Laboratory Equipment Supply
• Laboratory Construction
• Laboratory Personnel Training
Safety Program setup
Quality Control and Analysis Programs
• Development of Laboratory Procedures

Why Mine-Site Labs Matter

Laboratories are critical to any operation — whether in early-stage exploration, full production, or final reclamation. KCA works with each client to establish testing programs, design and construct their lab, train technicians, and set up short-term or long-term quality control programs.

Featured Build: Missouri Cobalt Project

KCA designed and fabricated a permanent laboratory for the Missouri Cobalt Project. Both interior and exterior shown in our gallery. This represents the long-term, on-site lab pattern — engineered for the specific assay menu the operation requires.

Featured Build: Bolkardag, Turkey

KCA designed and fabricated a modular laboratory for the Bolkardag project in Turkey. This shipping-container-mounted lab demonstrates the modular pattern — fully wet-tested in Reno, then disassembled and shipped to site.

Modular vs Permanent

Permanent structures are designed and constructed under KCA scope, closely engineered around the testwork the laboratory needs to provide. Modular labs are prefabricated in KCA's Reno facilities and shipped to site as turnkey container units.

Lab Training Programs

KCA offers a variety of training programs accessible to all levels of laboratory technicians, supervisors, and managers. Topics covered include:
• Atomic Absorption (AA)
• Inductively Coupled Plasma – Mass Spectrometry (ICP)
• LECO Analysis
• Column Test
• Bottle Roll
• Cyanide Speciation (WAD CN)
• Acid Digestion
• Cyanide Shake Tests
• Fire Assay
• Sample Preparation (Crushing, Pulverizing, etc.)
• Environmental Testing
• Data Entry/Data Management

Quality Control

KCA's operating in-house laboratory in Reno, Nevada participates in a variety of quality control programs to ensure accurate, realistic results. Thanks to KCA's laboratory operations knowledge, KCA builds labs that are capable of the same level of accuracy and performance as the Reno headquarters lab.

Project Gallery

From our portfolio.

500+Engineering Projects
74Modular Plants Delivered
17EPCM Contracts
30+Countries Worked
1972Founded
Recent KCA Projects

See this capability in action.

Selected recent projects where KCA delivered this service. All from our portfolio of 500+ engineering projects.

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Common Questions

Frequently asked.

How long does a typical KCA testwork campaign take?
Bench-scale programs take 4–8 weeks; column leach campaigns 3–6 months depending on heap height and ore character; full bankable feasibility-level testwork can span 9–18 months. Every campaign begins with a metallurgical interview to set the scope, schedule, and budget against your project milestones.
Can KCA take a project from testwork through commissioning?
Yes — this is KCA's defining capability. Most EPCM firms outsource testwork; KCA self-performs the lab, engineering, and (in EPCM mode) construction management. The flowsheet you sign off on is designed by the same team that builds the plant. One handoff. Fewer surprises.
Where does KCA work geographically?
KCA's Reno, Nevada headquarters serves projects in the Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Africa. Our Chihuahua, Mexico affiliate (Kappes Cassiday del Norte) supports operations across Mexico and Central America. Our Perth, Western Australia affiliate (KCAA) serves Asia-Pacific. Over 500 projects across six continents since 1972.
What types of ore does KCA test and engineer?
Primary expertise is gold and silver — both heap leach and milling/agitated cyanide processes. We also work on copper, lithium, and base metals. The KCA lab routinely runs HPGR, gravity, flotation, cyanide, and Merrill-Crowe campaigns across all commodity classes.
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Let’s talk about your project.

Whether you’re at scoping stage or ready to break ground, KCA has the lab capacity, engineering bench, and EPCM experience to deliver.

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