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Petrographic, X-ray Diffraction, Mineral Separations, and General Chemistry Labs Project

Project and Task Contact

Rhonda Driscoll
Phone: 303-236-5635
Email: rdriscoll@usgs.gov

Project Objectives

Mineral Resources Program funded scientists need specialized facilities in order to carry out their research. This project addresses those needs:

The facility referred to as the Petrographic Laboratory houses special equipment needed for crushing, grinding, trimming, sieving, winnowing, and slabbing whole rocks samples.

The facility referred to as the X-ray Diffraction Laboratory is used to identify, quantify, and verify whole rock constituents and mineral concentrates. This facility contains an assortment of microscopes including a microscope equipped with a digital camera for magnified sample imaging.

The facility referred to as the Minerals Separation Laboratory contains both vertical and horizontal magnetic separators, heavy liquids, and assorted apparatus used to separate and concentrate specific mineral phases based on magnetic susceptibility and density.

Geochemistry experiments are carried out in the laboratory referred to as General Chemistry. Experiments include material solubility, solution quality, mineral synthesis, acid etching, extraction, and other trials as required by scientists. This laboratory has an inventory of chemical reagents, glassware, measuring, mixing, and weighing devices, and process consumables.

Together, these labs provide Mineral Resources Program scientists with the equipment and supplies needed to conduct studies that aid in a better understanding of the processes occurring at field sites. All assisting laboratory personnel remain abreast of scientific techniques that are beneficial to science center projects.