Facilities we use for cosmogenic sample preparation
We use several different facilities to prepare samples for cosmogenic nuclide analysis. Rocks and sediment are washed, ground, sieved and magnetically separated in a shared departmental facility on the first floor of Delehanty Hall. Samples are then moved to the mineral separation laboratory on the third floor where repeated acid etching, density separation, and combustion produce pure quartz. After these preparatory processes, the clean quartz moves across the hall to our clean facility where it is dissolved, elements of interest are isolated and targets are made. Once we are done with samples, they are inventoried and transported to our storage facility.Click below to learn more about and see pictures of our various facilities.