A unique lab delivering unique research opportunities
The first of its kind in North America, the Minerals Characterization Lab integrates mining and mineral resource disciplines from around the University of Arizona with the common goal of conducting the most impactful research. Within our facility — which is a shared resource among mining engineering, geosciences and the Lowell Institute for Mineral Resources — we specialize in the analysis of earth minerals and manufactured metals.
Using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) techniques and technology, our lab supports research in such areas as economic geology, geometallurgy, archeometallurgy, environmental sciences and gemology. With the recent purchase of sophisticated laser technology, the Minerals Characterization Lab is considered one of the most advanced mineral resources research facilities in the U.S.
“We’re the only university lab in the US outfitted to study the full spectrum of mining and mineral resources all the way down to the last nanometer.” — Isabel Barton, Assistant Professor of Mining and Geological Engineering
State-of-the-Art Instrumentation
Investing in the latest technology allows our faculty to conduct innovative research and our students to learn on equipment they are likely to use in their future careers. We are the only university lab in North America to have an NWRfemto ultraviolet pulsed laser ablation system with high speed imaging which efficiently vaporizes very small amounts of material for chemical and isotopic analysis, leaving much more of the sample intact. We also have a new multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer. Together, these instruments allow us to obtain precise, high-resolution measurements of the composition of solutions, minerals and metals.
Current Research
In the Minerals Characterization Lab, researchers from around the university collaborate on cross-disciplinary projects that expand our knowledge in topics ranging from basic geology and exploration to mineral processing and manufactured material characterization. Our research portfolio includes the following projects:
- Economic geology and geochemistry: compositional indicators of ore deposit formation
- Geometallurgy: ore characterization, mineral deportment during processing
- Atomic force microscopy: mechanism and optimization of flotation processes
- Hydrometallurgy of energy metals: leaching of copper, uranium, vanadium, cobalt, and more
- Isotope geochemistry: using isotopic tracers to study mineral systems
- Gemology: measuring gemstone compositions to ensure they don’t come from conflict zones