Investigators at the PRL also have access to a Franz Isodynamic Separator, which is capable of isolating magnetic grains from host rock material, and an electromagnet that can be used to study the isothermal remanence characteristics of paleomagnetic samples. This magnet is capable of producing uniform fields of 8 kOe over a volume suitable for typical paleomagnetic core samples and can be used to determine the saturation remanence of many magnetic minerals. The machine is built around an extremely rapid and reliable slew-scanning monochromator that offers both high resolution and wide wavelength coverage. It includes an auto sampler for 240 samples and a totally-automated plasma emission source. Over 3000 igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks and hundreds of water and archeological samples have been analyzed in the lab since its inception in 1990.
Samples presently being analyzed include natural waters, carbonate rocks and clay minerals.
The Department of Geosciences maintains a rebuilt Phillips Norelco powder X-ray diffractometer which is available for faculty and student use. Students receive training in safety and techniques prior to being allowed to operate the equipment. The department is well-equipped with a suite a research compound and petrographic microscopes. Special microscopes are dedicated to cathodoluminescence, fluorescence, and vitrinite reflectance analyses. In addition, facilities exist to camcord images, display them on a CRT-screen, as well as digitize images and store, manipulate, etc., these within our Macintosh computer network.