Analytical Facilities

The CMRC will have access to a wide range of cutting-edge mineral analytical systems that enable macro- to nano-scale characterization of critical mineral–rich samples, including scanning electron microscopes, an electron microprobe, a micro-CT scanner, Laser Particle Size Analyzers (LPSA), and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) systems.

The BEG’s advanced Electron Microscopic Analysis in Geology and Engineering (e-MAGE) Laboratory specializes in chemical and textural microanalyses of natural and engineered samples. The SEM facility is equipped with state-of-the-art imaging, analytical, and sample preparation capabilities including:

Zeiss Sigma Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope equipped with large-area SEM-cathodoluminescence (panchromatic, RGB color, and CL-spectrometry) and EDS elemental mapping for compositional and textural characterization.
Hitachi SU-8700 Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope equipped with ultrafast large-area microanalytical capabilities using AMICS (Automated Mineral Identification and Characterization System) which identifies minerals using a comprehensive reference database compiled by the American Mineralogical Association.

Scanning electron microscopy with automated mineralogy software **AMICS** allows for fast identification of mineral phases, textures, and spatial distributions over a selected area on mounts or thin sections (red rectangle, top right image). The shown sample is from the Fei di Doccio lower crustal magmatic sulfide deposit in the Ivrea-Verbano Zone in Italy. Understanding the sample mineralogy and deportment of critical minerals in different mineral phases is pivotal to informing mineral extraction flowsheet development.