AUTOMATED CALCIMETER AC-280

The AC-280 Automated Calcimeter is a computer-automated multi-sample instrument for determining the ratio of calcite to dolomite in up to 20 core or soil samples. Normal testing time can be from a few minutes to over 45 minutes. The operator can configure test completion to be based on either a preset time increment or completion can be based on stable pressure conditions. All entered and measured data is logged to a file on the computer and can be viewed at any time.

For information please contact :

Nina Zeyen, Phone: +41 22 379 66 18 Email

AUTOMATED CRITICAL POINT DRYER LEICA EM CPD300

The Leica EM CPD300 is a table-top critical point dryer that gently dries, fully automatically, biological specimens such as foraminifers, pollens, organic matter, bacteria, tissues, plants, insects, etc. for SEM analysis.

For information please contact :

Agathe Martignier, Phone: +41 22 379 31 64, Email

ANISOTROPY OF MAGNETIC SUSCEPTIBILITY

Anisotropy of Magnetic Susceptibility (AMS) laboratory (MFK1 Kappabridges, AGICO) used to quantify geometries and intensity of deformation fabrics in rocks. The laboratory is principally employed to determine the modalities of emplacement of plutons, lava flows, dykes and pyroclastic flows.

For information please contact :

Luca Caricchi, Phone: +41 (0)22.379.66.30 Email

CLEAN AIR CHEMICAL LABORATORY

Two class-10000 clean labs with class-100 laminar flow work-benches are used for ion exchange and extraction chromatography separations of respectively (i) U-Pb from zircons (and other U-rich minerals) and (ii) Pb, Sr, Nd and Cl from inorganic and organic matrices. Isotopic ratios of the above elements are subsequently measured by Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometry (TIMS). The laboratory was constructed by MK Versuchsanlagen, D-35325 Mücke-Gerlau.

For information please contact :

Massimo Chiaradia, Phone: +41 22 379 66 34, Email

Crushing, milling, and shaking table facility (B34 and B35)

Crushing and milling labs equipped with a jaw crusher and Tungsten and agate mills for whole rock preparations for geochemistry or mineral separations. A Wilfley table (shaking table) is also available for the sorting of heavy minerals.

For information please contact :

Geochronology group: Nuriel Perach, Phone: +41 22 379 66 11. Email
Other groups: Antoine de Haller, Phone: +41 22 379 37, Email

DIGITAL MICROSCOPE VHX-7000

View, Capture and Measure with an All-in-One System. 4K High Accuracy digital microscope capable of capturing high resolution images and measurement data for inspection and failure analysis, at the push of a button. Allows examination at high depths. Thanks to the built-in 1 TB hard disk drive, observed images can be saved just as they are. 2D or 3D measurement can be carried out simply by operating the mouse.

For information please contact :

Elias Samankassou, Phone: +41 22 379 66 20, Email

ELECTRON PROBE MICRO-ANALYSER

Description equipment

The JEOL JXA-iHP200F hyperprobe is an electron probe micro analyser allowing the quantitative measurement of the chemical composition (all elements from B to U) of solid material at high spatial resolution (1-3 μm) using a Wave Dispersive System (WDS). Elemental mapping can be performed using the WDS system in combination with an Energy Dispersive System (EDS). Analyses are performed in combination with the possibility of sample imaging in secondary electron and back-scattered electron mode at magnification up to 300,000 X. The instrument is equipped with a soft X-ray emission spectrometer (SXES) to measure light elements (e.g. B, O, Cl, F, S) in concentrations down to few tens of parts per million. Additionally, the SXES permits the determination of the oxidation state of Fe. The sample holder accommodates samples in round epoxy mounts (2.54 cm ⌀), standard thin sections (27 mm x 46 mm) but other shapes can be considered. Analyses are performed on surfaces that are polished, flat, clean and carbon coated prior to analysis.

Details

Instrument: JEOL JXA-iHP200F hyperprobe Characteristics:
- Field emission gun (In-lens Shottky Plus FEG)
- 4 WDS spectrometers
- EDS system
- Fast elemental mapping
- SXES detector; detectable energy range: 100-2300 eV; spatial resolution: 250 nm
- Accelerating voltage: 1-30 kV
- Secondary electron and back scattered electron detectors

Samples are analysed under vacuum conditions

For information please contact :

Luca Caricchi (Responsible). Phone: +41 22 37 96 630, Email
Charline Lormand (Lab Manager). Phone: +41 379 66 72, Email

Schedule of the lab
For bookings, users are invited to email the contact person directly.

ELEMENTAL ANALYZER, PERKINELMER©

C, H, N, and S analyzer in solids (powders)

The device includes

• CHNS elemental analyzer
• Autobalance with interface

For information please contact :

Nina Zeyen, Phone: +41 22 379 66 18 Email

FLUID INCLUSION MICROTHERMOMETRY LABORATORY

The Fluid inclusion microthermometry laboratory  offers three fluid  inclusion heating-freezing stages (-220 to +600°C), including the possibility of near-infrared microthermometry:

• Linkam THMSG 600 stage mounted on a Leica DMLB microscope, with 100x objective for microthermometry of transparent minerals ;
• USGS stage and one Linkham FTIR 600 stage mounted on an Olympus BH2 microscope, with 80x objective, for near-infrared microthermometry of opaque minerals, equipped with one Hamamatsu C2400 infrared camera and one Hitachi KP-161 CCD camera.
• High-temperature Linkam TS 1500 heating stage (up to 1500°C) for magmatic fluid inclusion and melt inclusion studies.

For information please contact :

Robert Moritz, Phone: +41 22 379 66 33, Email

Schedule of the Lab

FISSION TRACK DATING LABORATORY

Autoscan designed fission-track data acquisition facility based around a state-of-the-art Zeiss Axio-imager Z1M optical microscope and ultra-high precision translation stage, with automated data collection software.

For information please contact :

Richard Spikings, Phone: +41 22 379 31 76, Email

GEOPHYSICAL FLUID DYNAMICS LABORATORY

The geophysical fluid dynamics laboratory is designed for the study of geophysical phenomena by means of analogue modelling. Current investigations focus on: Convective instabilities, granular flows, two-phase flow, and particle terminal velocity and aggregation with a vertical wind tunnel.

For information please contact :

Costanza Bonadonna, Phone: +41 22 379 30 55, Email

MULTICOLLECTOR ICP-MS – NEPTUNE PLUS

Since 2012 a NEPTUNE Plus multicollector ICP-MS is installed in the ICP center of the Faculty of Science. The instrument is equipped with 9 Farady cups, 3 full-size discrete-dynode SEM's, two of them featuring an RPQ, and 4 compact discrete dynode SEM's. Analyses can be carried out in solution mode (through an ARIDUS desolvation nebulizer) or by laser ablation of solids (using a Photon Machines 193nm UV laser system). The machine can carry out precise isotope ratio analysis of a range of radioactive, radiogenic and stable isotope systems.

For information please contact :

Massimo Chiaradia, Phone: +41 22 379 66 34, Email

MINERAL SEPARATION FACILITIES

Our department is featuring classical sample preparation and mineral separation facilities: jaw-crusher, rotating disk mill, tungsten carbide and agate ring mills, Wilfely table, two Frantz magnetic separators, heavy liquid separation facility mainly using methylene iodide and sodium poly-tungstate solution.

For information please contact :

Nuriel Perach, Phone: +41 22 379 66 11. Email

MAGNETIC SUSCEPTIBILITY

This non-destructive analyses indicates the behaviour of any material when it is exposed to an external magnetic field. It is ideal to detect variations in the nature and sources of magnetic minerals and, thus, determining the paleoenviromental history of a basin. It is also a very good method to correlate different cores within a basin

For information please contact :

Nina Zeyen, Phone: +41 22 379 66 18 Email

MICRO X-RAY FLUORESCENCE (m-XRF)

This device measures relative elemental variations (qualitative) in solids and liquids by X-ray fluorecence at ultra high resolution (~50 µm scale) under both atmospheric and vacuum conditions.

It can be used in:

• 10 cm pieces of sediment cores
• thin-sections
• water samples
• powders

For information please contact :

Nina Zeyen, Phone: +41 22 379 66 18 Email

NOBLE GAS MASS SPECTROMETRY – ARGUS VI

Multi-collector (four 10^13 Ohm and one 10^12 Ohm Faraday collectors, and one CDD multiplier) gas source ARGUS VI mass spectrometer built by Thermo Scientific, dedicated to high sensitivity Ar isotopic analyses. The facility is equipped with a CO2-IR laser, and a 193nmArF excimer laser for in-situ Ar isotopic measurements (as small as 1 micron by 1 micron square pits). The facility is fully automated.

For information please contact :

Richard Spikings, Phone: +41 22 379 31 76, Email

NOBLE GAS MASS SPECTROMETRY - HELIX

Multi-collector (four 10^12 Ohm and one 10^11 Ohm Faraday collectors, and five CDD multipliers) gas source MC HELIX mass spectrometer built by Thermo Scientific, dedicated to high resolution Ar isotopic analyses. The facility is equipped with a resistance furnace (maximum temperature 2000°C), a CO2-IR laser, and a 193nmArF excimer laser for in-situ Ar isotopic measurements (as small as 1 micron by 1 micron square pits). The facility is fully automated.

For information please contact :

Richard Spikings, Phone: +41 22 379 31 76, Email

OPTICAL CATHODOLUMINESCENCE CITL CL 8200-MK 5-1 AND ERI-MERTECH

Cathodoluminescence (CL) is the emission of light from material when it is irradiated with electrons. The technique is used for imaging spatial variations in the trace element composition of natural (e.g. calcite, diamond, feldspar and apatite) and synthetic materials. We have a cold cathode: a) CITL 8200 Mk 5-1 mounted on a Leitz Orthoplan petrological microscope and b) ERI-MRTech mounted on a Olympus BX41 petrological microscope, both available for optical CL studies.

For information please contact :

Agathe Martignier, Phone: 41 22 379 31 64 , Email

PARTICLE CHARACTERIZATION LABORATORY

The particle characterization lab is equipped for grain size, morphologic and densimetric analysis. The available instruments and facilities are: (1) Laser diffraction (CILAS) for grain size analyses on particles with a diameter smaller than 1 mm; (2) Microscopy (Integrated in the laser diffraction instrument) for particle morphology analysis; (3) Sieving for grain size analyses on particles with diameter larger than 32 microns; and (4) Hydrostatic balance for volumetric and densimetric analyses.

For information please contact :

Costanza Bonadonna, Phone: +41 22 379 30 55, Email

QEMSCAN QUANTA 650F

QEMSCAN technology relies on automated scanning electron microscopy where mineral identification is based on the combination of back-scattered electron values, energy-dispersive X-ray spectra, and X-ray count rates. The measurements results typically consist of high-resolution mineralogical maps offering a large set of quantitative mineralogical and petrographic data. Quantitative mineral analysis have a wide range of applications – for example in reservoir rock characterization (e.g. lithotyping, porosity quantification, particle size analyses), mining and mineral processing (e.g. mineral associations, phase liberations), as well as in fundamental research of geological (e.g. rock/soil mapping, mineral zonation studies) and man-made material materials (e.g. archaeological materials, concrete).

For information please contact :

Antoine De Haller, +41 22 379 66 07, Email
Andrea Moscariello, +41 22 37 966 10, Email
Kalin Kouzmanov, + 41 22 379 68 93, Email

RAMAN MICROSPECTROMETRY LABORATORY

Labram microspectrometer equipped with a green laser (532 nm) and a red laser (632 nm) for identification of minerals and gas species in fluid inclusions. Calibrated for quantitative analyses of CO₂-CH₄-N₂ mixtures.

For information please contact :

Robert Moritz, Phone: +41 22 379 66 33, Email
Zoltan Zajacz, Phone: +41 22 379 66 22, Email

Schedule of the Lab

SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE JEOL JSM7001F

Analytical Thermal Field Emission SEM with a hot (Schottky) electron gun that is optimised for analytical applications. It offers very high beam currents with excellent stability even at lower acceleration voltages. . Its specificities are: High resolution; Multi-purpose specimen chamber; Low Vacuum capability. The SEM is equipped with an Energy dispersive X-ray analyser EDS JED2300 and a Cathodoluminescence detector. This last is used for high resolution work, or for minerals that have a poor or UV light emission.

For information please contact :

Agathe Martignier, Phone: 41 22 379 31 64 , Email

SAMPLES PREPARATION LABORATORY

The sedimentology laboratory is one of the core laboratories of the DESTE. The laboratory has facility for both wet and dry sample analysis. The wet analysis includes the preparation of samples for textural, mineralogical, geochemical and clay mineralogical analysis. The laboratory has a modern core cutter machine and a deep freezer for storing and archiving the sediment samples and sediment cores. The dry unit of the laboratory has a facility for sieving the sediment samples for grain size distribution, and for dissolving sedimentary rocks in order to separate microfossil. The laboratory is used extensively by the research students/project fellows and at a given time more than 5-6 people work in the laboratory.

For information please contact :

Nino Isabella, Phone: +41 22 379 66 06, Email

THERMAL IONIZATION MASS SPECTROMETRY – TRITON

The Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometer Finnigan TRITON (installed in January 2006) is mainly used for high-precision U-Pb dating of zircon (plus other U-rich minerals). It is equipped with 9 Faraday cups, 1 discrete-dynode SEM, and an arrangement of 6 channeltron ion counters for Os isotopic analyses. The Faraday cups can be connected to amplifiers with either 10¹¹Ω (n=5) or 10¹³Ω (n=5) resistors, the upgrade to the 10¹³Ω resistors dates from 2018.

For information please contact :

Maria Ovtcharova, Phone: +41 22 379 66 00, Email
Nuriel Perach, Phone: +41 22 379 66 11. Email

THIN AND POLISHED SECTIONING LABORATORY

Laboratory equipped for sawing and sectioning of rocks: thin sections (30 µm) for microscopical investigation in transmitted light, both covered and polished; polished sections for microscopy of opaque minerals in reflected light, double-side polished sections for fluid inclusion studies.

For information please contact :

Luca Caricchi, Phone: +41 22 379 66 30, Email
Malik Meghazi, Phone: +41 22 379 31 78, Email
Jean-Marie Boccard, Phone: +41 22 379 66 42, Email

X-RAY DIFFRACTOMETRY

Our X-ray diffraction (XRD) instrument is a Philips X’pert, equipped with a PW3710 MPD diffractometer control unit and a PW3020 vertical goniometer. It includes an automatic sample changer, and is used routinely for phase identification and quality control. This instrument is located in the Ecole de Physique, laboratory of crystallography.

For information please contact :

Radovan Černý, Phone: +41 22 379 64 50, Email

THERMAL IONISATION MASS SPECTROMETRY – PHOENIX

A PHOENIX thermal ionisation mass spectrometer from IsotopX, purchased in 2016, is optimised for high-sensitivity U-Pb geochronology. It is equipped with 10¹²Ω resistance faraday cups and a Daly-based ion-counting system using a Hamamatsu photo-multiplier, demonstrated to be linear up to 2.5 Mcps. The equipment allows measurement of low levels of radiogenic lead via a multidynamic procedure using the high-resistance faraday cups or, alternatively, the Daly ion counting system.

For information please contact :

Nuriel Perach, Phone: +41 22 379 66 11, Email
Maria Ovtcharova, Phone: +41 22 379 66 00, Email

UNI-LITE NG LUMINOMETER

This device measures ATP (adenosine-5’-triphosphate) that provides chemical energy for cell metabolism in both sediments and waters. As ATP cannot be stored or preserved, it is an indicator of in situ bacterial activity

For information please contact :

Nina Zeyen, Phone: +41 22 379 66 18 Email

XRF PREPARATION

This laboratory is designed to produce: fusion beads (electric furnace PANALYTICAL, EAGON-2) used for major elements analysis and pressed pellets (manual press) used for trace elements analysis. Analyses are conducted at the XRF laboratory of the University of Lausanne.
Fully equipped crushing rooms are available for use upon reservation.

For information please contact :

Antoine de Haller, Phone: +41 22 379 66 37, Email

XRF SPECTROMETRY

Major element analyses (SiO2, TiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3, MnO, MgO, CaO, Na2O, K2O, P2O5, Cr2O3, NiO) are performed on glass pellets (40 mm in diameter); limit of detections are of the order of 0.01%. Trace element analyses (Sc-V-Cr-Mn-Co-Ni-Cu-Zn-Ga-Ge-As-Se-Br-Rb-Sr-Y-Zr-Nb-Mo-Ag-Cd-Sn-Sb-Te-I-Cs-Ba-La-Ce-Nd-Sm-Yb-Hf-Ta-W-Hg-Tl-Pb-Bi-Th-U) are performed on pressed pellets (also 40 mm in diameter); limits of detections vary from 1 to 5 ppm depending on the elements.

The following analytical programs are available: high-SiO2 rocks; low-SiO2 rock; carbonate rocks and cements; phosphate rocks; Mn- and Fe-rich materials. A semi-quantitative program (Omnian – no sample preparation needed) allows analyses of F and U with a limit of detection of 100 ppm.

Equipment: Panalytical Axios Max, Tube anode au Rhodium, Tension d’analyse 4 kW.

For information please contact :

Robert Moritz, Phone: +41 22 379 66 33, Email
Antoine de Haller, Phone: +41 22 379 66 37, Email