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New Mexico Geochronology Research Laboratory
Facilities
Our laboratory is now housed, along with the rest of the Bureau of Geology, in a new facility. Recent hardware and software upgrades have substatially improved the quality and throughput of analyses.
Sample Preparation
![Prep lab](/labs/argon/images/PrepLab-600.jpg)
The New Mexico Geochronology Research Laboratory has dedicated lab space for preparing mineral and whole-rock samples for 40Ar/39Ar analysis. The NMGRL also employs a number of highly skilled undergraduate and graduate mineral separatist to facilitate high quality and efficient mineral and whole-rock separates for argon geochronology.
Equipment
- Frantz Magnetic Separator
- Heavy liquid separation (lithium metatungstate)
- Picking microscopes
- Binocular microscopes (4)
- Petrographic microscopes (2)
- Centrifuge
- Jaw crusher
- Disk mill
- Piston (Nybo) crusher
- Acids digestion (HF, HCl, nitric acid)
- Mortar & pestle
- Rock saws (available in other labs)
![Felix](/labs/argon/images/Matt_Felix-450.jpg)
![Jan](/labs/argon/images/Matt_Jan-450.jpg)
Cynthia Connolly, 2021