Services

Services provided by LUMINX include:

Mineralogical Services

Mineralogical services offered by LUMINX are designed to meet the needs of exploration/mining and environmental sectors through providing highly specialized analytical capabilities that are not routinely available from other commercial laboratories. LUMINX's mineralogical services include:

  • Mineralogical assessment (phase identification, modal abundance and chemical composition) of geological samples using SEM-EDS, XRD, FTIR and optical microscopy.
  • Thin section preparation (through the Department of Geology)
  • Clay and zeolite analysis by XRD (including heat and other chemical treatments), SEM-EDX and FTIR
  • Fluid inclusion analysis
  • Mineral separations (e.g., heavy liquids)

Environmental Services

LUMINX offers its environmental services in conjunction with Dr. Peter Lee and the Lakehead University Environmental Laboratory (LUEL).  Our main focus is investigating the source and remediation of mine waste waters (e.g., AMD).  Current projects involve:

  • Use of stable (H, O, S and C) and radiogenic (Sr and Pb) isotopes to trace contaminant sources
  • Mineralogical and geochemical characterization of mine waste materials.
  • Experimental and computer modeling of water-rock reactions
    responsible for the generation of contaminated mine waters
  • Bench scale testing of in situ and reactive barrier remediation technologies
  • Water quality testing through LUEL
  • Installation and monitoring of piezometers

Experimental Services

LUMINX offers a variety of experimental services for investigating water-rock reactions, mineral and gas solubilities, mineral dissolution and transformation kinetics and bench testing of reactive barrier technologies. Experimental equipment and pressure-temperature capabilities are as follows:

  • Four rapid-quench, cold-seal vessels (Ni-Cr and TZM alloy reaction vessels) for experiments up to200 MPa (~2 kbar) and 1300 C
  • Dual hydrothermal rocking autoclaves for water-rock experiments up to 0.5 kbar & 400 C
  • Four horizontal tube furnaces with temperature ranges from 600 to 1300 C
  • 1500 C Deltech top loading furnace
  • Parr reaction (digestion) vessels
  • Multiple static reaction columns for water-rock reactions at ambient conditions
  • Eight chamber dynamic flow-through system for water-rock reactions