Camborne School of Mines, located in Cornwall, operates a comprehensive geochemical and mineralogical analytical laboratory. The laboratories focus on the analysis of chemical elements in inorganic materials. The wide range of spot and bulk methods available allows for comprehensive compositional and structural analysis of a wide variety of natural and synthetic compounds (metals, alloys, ceramics, glass, minerals, rocks, dust, soils, environmental materials, etc.). The analytical facilities are available for educational, research and commercial use.
Analytical equipment
Electron Beam Techniques
- Low Vacuum Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) - JEOL JSM-5400LV
- Quantitative Evaluation of Minerals - QEMSCAN® 4300
- Electron Probe Microanalyser (EPMA) - JEOL JXA-8200 Electron Microprobe
X-ray Techniques
- X-ray diffraction - Siemens D5000
- X-ray fluorescence - Bruker S4 Pioneer
Wet Chemical Techniques
- Atomic Absorption Spectrometer - Unicam SP9
- Atomic fluorescence spectrometer - PSA Excalibur
Sample preparation
Sample preparation includes thin sections, polished thin sections, large thin sections (75 by 50 mm) and polished block preparation. Custom preparation of samples (such as grain mounts, polished slabs, etching, feldspar and carbonate staining) can also be completed.
Request forms and documents
Analytical laboratories request form
This online form is intended to assist in the scheduling of work through the CSM analytical labs and to ensure that the most appropriate analytical programme is undertaken – please complete as fully as possible. Visit online form
Analytical laboratories induction manual
This document is meant to give an introduction to work in the analytical laboratories at Camborne School of Mines. It contains important procedures for health and safety, a section on the principles and recommended practices for analysis and data management, and at the end a statement of receipt of induction that must be signed and returned to the laboratory manager before work can commence.
Download laboratory induction manual (pdf)
