Central Mineral and Environmental Resources Science Center
SEM Microprobe Laboratories
Project Objectives
The Denver Microbeam Laboratory is an analytical facility operated by the USGS Geologic
Discipline. The laboratory specializes in microanalysis of rocks, minerals, and other
materials from a wide variety of applications. The laboratory supports programs within the former
Geologic Discipline as well as other scientific mission areas within the USGS, and other Federal and
State agencies. The laboratory utilizes state-of-the-art microanalytical instrumentation for
basic and applied research in the geosciences and related fields. The laboratory is open to
all USGS personnel and other researchers by agreement. For more information on the
laboratory visit the Denver Microbeam Laboratory site.
Relevance & Impact
Examples of laboratory activities include providing analysis and expert assistance to the
Department of Justice, development of analytical reference materials and analytical methods
for the EPA, characterization of soils from Iraq for the U.S. Army, and characterization of mine
waste samples from Zambia in collaboration with the U.S. EPA and the World Bank. Other
research activities include the study of the 2004 eruption products from Mount St.
Helens in collaboration with the USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory, development of a
fingerprint, analytical methods, and analytical reference materials, for identification of dust
generated by the collapse of the World Trade Center, and identification and characterization
of atypical asbestiform amphiboles from an EPA superfund site in Libby, Montana.
Project Chief:
Products
Presentations
- Schrader, C.M., Rickman, D.L., McLemore, C.A., Fikes, J.C.,
Stoeser, D.B., Wentworth, S.J., and McKay, D.S., 2009, Lunar Regolith Characterization for
Simulant Design and Evaluation Using Figure of Merit Algorithms: American Institute of
Aeronautics and Astronautics, 89th Annual Meeting Conference Proceedings Volume, 7 p.
Reports and Articles
- Bern, A.M., Lowers, H.A., Meeker, G.P., and Rosati, J.A., 2009, Method development for analysis of urban dust
using scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive x-ray spectrometry to detect the
possible presence of World Trade Center dust constituents: Environmental Science and
Technology, 43 (5), pp. 1449-1454.
- Cashman, K.V., Thornber, C.R., and Pallister, J.S., 2008, From Dome to
Dust: Shallow Crystallization and Fragmentation of Conduit Magma During the 2004–2006
Dome Extrusion of Mount St. Helens, Washington, chap. 19 of Sherrod, D.R., Scott, W.E.,
and Stauffer, eds., A volcano rekindled; the renewed eruption of Mount St. Helens,
2004–2006: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1750, 27 p.
- Desborough, G.A., Smith, K.S., Lowers, H.A.,
Swayze, G.A., Hammarstrom, J.M., Diehl, S.F., Leinz, R.W., and Driscoll, R.L., 2010,
Mineralogical and chemical characteristics of some natural jarosites: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 74 (3), pp. 1041-1056.
- Donovan, J.J., Lowers, H.A., and Rusk, B.G., 2011,
Improved electron probe microanalysis of trace elements in quartz: American Mineralogist,
96 (2-3), pp. 274-282.
- Lowers, H.A. and Bern, A.M., 2009, Particle size
characterization of water-elutriated Libby amphibole 2000 and RTI International amosite:
U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2009-1242, 3 p.
- Lowers, H.A., Meeker, G.P., Lioy, P.J., and
Lippmann, M., 2009, Summary of the development of a signature for detection of residual
dust from collapse of the World Trade Center buildings: Journal of Exposure Science and
Environmental Epidemiology, 19 (3), pp. 325-335.
- Pallister, J.S., Thornber, C.R., Cashman, K.V., Clynne, M.A.,
Lowers, H.A., Mandeville, C.W., Brownfield, I.K., and Meeker, G.P., 2008, Petrology of the
2004–2006 Mount St. Helens Lava Dome—Implications for Magmatic Plumbing and Eruption
Triggering, chap. 30 of Sherrod, D.R., Scott, W.E., and Stauffer, eds., A volcano rekindled;
the renewed eruption of Mount St. Helens, 2004–2006:
U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1750, 56 p.
- Rusk, B., Koenig, A., and Lowers, H., 2011, Visualizing trace element distribution in quartz using cathodoluminescence, electron microprobe, and laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry: American Mineralogist,
96 (5-6), pp. 703-708.
- Rusk, B.G., Lowers, H.A., and Reed, M.H.,
2008, Trace elements in hydrothermal quartz: relationships to cathodoluminescent textures
and insights into vein formation: Geology, 36 (7), pp. 547-550.
- Thomas, M.A.., Diehl, S.F., Pletsch, B.A., Schumann, T.L., Pavey, R.R., and
Swindford, E.M., 2008, Relation between solid-phase and dissolved arsenic in the ground-water
system underlying northern Preble County, Ohio: U.S. Geological Survey
Scientific Investigations Report 2008-5205, 56 p.
- Thornber, C.R., Pallister, J.S., Lowers, H.A., Rowe, M.C.,
Mandeville, C.W., and Meeker, G.P., 2008, Chemistry, Mineralogy, and Petrology of
Amphibole in Mount St. Helens 2004–2006 Dacite, chap. 32 of Sherrod, D.R., Scott, W.E.,
and Stauffer, eds., A volcano rekindled; the renewed eruption of Mount St. Helens,
2004–2006: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1750, 28 p.
- Tripp, R.B., Benzel, W.M., Adams, D.T., Lowers, H.A., Lee, G.K., and Bailey, E.A., 2009, Europium-rich dark
monazite – a potential new ore mineral for Alaska, USA?: Explorer, No. 145, pp. 1-10.