Our specialist team prepares and analyses biological, geological and synthetic material for staff, scientific visitors and consultancy projects.
Services and equipment
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Mineral sample laboratory
The museum’s mineral preparation laboratory prepares specimens from the collections for further analysis with SEM, geochemical and optical description/identification.
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Electronic and light engineering workshop
We repair and modify specialist electronic equipment.
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3D visualisation
The 3D visualisation laboratory has three scanners for digitising large-scale objects and specimens sized from 2cm to 3m.
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Microanalysis
Our electron probe microanalysis instruments allow us to conduct qualitative and quantitative elemental analysis of samples.
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Chemical analysis
We use specialist techniques to determine the concentrations of elements and chemical species in a wide range of samples.
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Electron microscopy
The electron microscope is a type of microscope that uses a beam of electrons to create an image of the specimen.
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Computed tomography
Micro-CT is a non-invasive and non-destructive technique that uses X-rays to create 3D models of the internal and external features of specimens.
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X-ray diffraction
A tool for phase identification, quantification and crystal structure analysis.
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Light microscopy
The Light Microscopy Facility houses state-of-the-art microscopy systems that allow scientists from all over the world to see beyond the limits of the naked eye.
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Confocal microscopy
In confocal microscopy, an object is scanned using a laser beam to build up the image a line at a time.