Ion Microprobe (SIMS)

The ion microprobe facility provides Canadian and international geoscientists in academia, government, and industry, access to Canada's only multicollector, high resolution instrument, the Cameca IMS1280. The facility was established in 2009 based on a $13 million grant provided by the Canadian Foundation for Innovation(CFI), the Alberta Science and Research Investments Program (ASRIP), the University of Alberta, and various industry sources.  

The IMS1280 is designed for microanalysis of light stable isotopes (H, Li, B, C, N, O, Mg, Si, S, Cl), U-Th-Pb isotopes, and trace elements (e.g., Ti, REE's) directly from minerals. Both inorganic and biologically-precipitated minerals preserve in their isotopic and trace element chemistry a wealth of information on how and when they formed. Learn more about the capabilities of the ion probe facility by selecting the Services and Instrumentation tabs.

Access

Researchers interested in accessing the facility should first contact the Director or Managing Director. Following these discussions, the lead researcher will submit a short proposal to the Managing Director.