Background Ores mined from deposits often contain multiple elements. Rapid determination of the composition and concentration of specific elements is essential for mineral processing. Upon thermal neutron capture, target nuclei form excited compound nuclei, which promptly emit characteristic γ-rays with distinct energies and intensities—known as (n,γ) fingerprints. By measuring the γ-ray energies, the elemental species can be identified; by measuring the intensities, the corresponding concentrations can be quantified. This technique is commonly referred to as neutron-based ore sorting.

Purpose This study aims to construct a detector system based on a Ce:GAGG crystal coupled with a photomultiplier tube (PMT) and to perform accurate γ-ray energy calibration for the system, thereby establishing a technical foundation for its application in on-site ore sorting in mines.

Methods A detection module consisting of a Ce:GAGG scintillator and a PMT was developed. Energy calibration of the detector was carried out using kinds of single γ-ray peaks: 1170 keV,1332 keV,4438 keVand 2230 keV. These measurements established a linear relationship between γ-ray energy and multichannel analyzer (MCA) channel number.

Results A reliable linear energy-to-channel calibration was achieved for the Ce:GAGG+PMT detector over the tested energy range. The calibration covers multiple characteristic peaks from both γ-ray and neutron sources, demonstrating the detector’s capability for accurate γ-ray energy determination.

Conclusions The calibrated Ce:GAGG+PMT detector system provides a solid technical basis for its future application in neutron-based ore sorting in mining operations, enabling rapid, on-site elemental analysis of ores.