Overview
The Lowell Mineral Characterization Facility (LMCF) contains a wide variety of analytical and imaging equipment for the study of mineral deposits and related materials. Users include faculty, staff, students and collaborating investigators. The LMCF a joint effort of the Lowell Program in Economic Geology (LPEG, Department of Geosciences), the School of Mining Engineering and Mineral Resources (SMEMR), and the Lowell IMR. Support for the facilities and staff comes from SMEMR and LPEG funds and from contracts, grants and fees.
Laser ablation ICP-MS laboratory
The mass spectrometry laboratory houses two laser ablation systems and three mass spectrometers. This array allows analysis of a wide variety of liquid and solid samples (bulk and in situ) for chemical and isotopic compositions. Dr. Jason Kirk manages and leads development activities in the LA-ICPMS lab.
Microscopy lab
The microscopy lab supports imaging and analysis of geological materials at the microscopic scale. Included are petrographic and stereo microscopes, cold-cathode cathodoluminescence, and a Horiba LabRAM HR Evolution Raman microcope. The lab supports both teaching and research and is overseen by Dr. Frank Mazdab and Ms. Jennifer Weiss.
Scanning electron microscopy lab
The scannning electron microscopy (SEM) lab contains both a JEOL 6010LA benchtop SEM with EDS and BSE coupled to a Gatan MonoCL4 panchromatic cathodoluminescence (CL) detector and a QEMSCAN Minesite SEM (donated by Freeport-McMoRan). The SEM lab is overseen by Dr. Isabel Barton and Ms. Jennifer Weiss.
Sample preparation and collections
The LMCF maintains sample preparation labs with rock saws, laps for polishing, micro-drilling equipment, a photography station, and a wet chemistry lab. Extensive collections are curated for LPEG and MGE teaching while >100 yrs of worldwide suites are used for research. All are managed by Jennifer Weiss.
Fluid inclusion laboratory
The LCMF fluid inclusion lab contains both Linkham and USGS type stages with controllers and other related peripherals. Samples for fluid inclusion studies (including melts) can be prepared and examined using microthermometry, conventional petrograpyy, Raman spectroscopy, and LA-ICP-MS techniques.
Spectral imaging lab
The spectral imaging lab is a state-of-the-art laboratory and includes VNIR, SWIR, and LWIR reflectance spectroscopy equipment and is linked to computers and software for image processing of lab, field, and remote spectral data. The spectral imaging lab is led by Dr. Dean Riley.