The sample preparation equipment housed in the Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences are shared facilities that are co-managed by Dr. Emily Finzel, Dr. Bill McClelland, and Dr. David Peate. Analytical instruments for Earth-science research, including an SEM, electron microprobe, laser ablation ICP-MS, and XRF, are housed in the Iowa MatFab Facility.
Bico Badger jaw crusher
Reduces fist-sized or smaller pieces of rock to 1/8"-3/4" gravel
Spex 8000m mixer mill
Small high-energy ball mill that accommodates sample sizes ranging from 0.2 - 1.5 grams
Fisherbrand™ Model 505 Sonic Dismembrator
High power, programmable system ideal for separating clay from silt and sand grains
Freefall magnetic separator
Suitable for separating free flowing sands in the range of 30 to 100 mesh
X-press
An automated, programmable hydraulic press to make pressed discs for XRF analysis
Camsizer
A particle size and shape analyzer that uses dynamic image analysis to measure a size range of 20 µm - 30 mm using dry analysis of granulates and bulk materials
Bico UA pulverizer
Reduces up to 1/4" gravel pieces to 150-200 mesh particles
Spex 8530 Shatterbox
Swing mill with sound-proof enclosure that accommodates sample sizes ranging from 2-100g
Gemini water table
Shaker table used to isolate dense fractions
Frantz magnetic susceptibility separator
Removes paramagnetic minerals from a heavy mineral separate
Fluxer
A 3-position automated fluxer to create homogenous fused beads for XRF analysis
Petrographic microscope
Standard petrographic microscope equipped with a teaching head and a Petrog automated point-counting stage