EMPA – Electron Microprobe Analysis
Faculty: Science Department: Earth Sciences
Science Capability
- Overview: EMPA is a fully quantitative and qualitative method of non-destructive elemental analysis of micron-sized volumes at the surface of materials with the sensitivity at the level of 100 ppm for some elements. It is an accurate microanalysis technique available to analyze elements from F to U in our instrument.
- Precise determination of the elemental composition of rock forming minerals including silicates, carbonates, sulphides, tellurides, antimonides, precious metal minerals (PGM), rare metal minerals plus metals and alloys.
- High resolution backscattered electron and cathodo- luminescence images of analysed samples.
- Sample preparation requirements – polished thin sections of rocks or cast epoxy pucks
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Laboratory Capacity: Cameca Camebax fully automated electron microprobe x-ray analyser equipped with 4 wavelength dispersive x-rays spectrometers (WDX) for quantitative x-ray elemental analysis , energy dispersive x-ray spectrometer (EDX) for qualitative analysis. Digital back-scattered electron (BSE) and cathodo- luminescence (CL) imaging for textural and compositional analysis.
Personnel:
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Director: Dr. Fred Gaidies
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Electron microprobe technologist: Maryam Shahabi Far
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Faculty, student (PhD, MSc, BSc), postdoctoral fellows
Industrial Application
Focus: Resource Geology, Petrology , Metallurgy
Project Examples: . Sulphide and platinum group element (PGE) mineralization of the Sudbury Igneous Complex , Ontario; kimberlite indicator and heavy mineral analyses as an exploration tool for diamond and industrial mineral exploration ; study of rare metal minerals of the Prairie Lake carbonatite, Ontario and the Blue River carbonatites British Columbia; characterization of sulphide mineral mill feed products to improve nickel recovery.
Characterization of super alloys supporting gas turbine research at Carleton University Dept. of Aerospace Engineering and National Research Council of Canada.
Engagement type
- Contract research and consulting
- Fee for use