The Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences offers a number of services which are available to the general public. Business transactions are typically arranged through individual units and all payments are made to the ESS main office. Regretfully, we do not accept credit cards at this time but all other forms of payment are valid.

Geochronology

The Geoscience department has a complete sample processing facility available for preparation of mineral separates for geochronology. Standard separates are generally produced by crushing, sieving, and density and magnetic separation. Samples for in situ analysis can be removed by core drilling.  Samples may be characterized and imaged in the microscope and SEM facilities prior to and after mounting. Depending on the project, analysis of U-Pb bearing phases (e.g., zircon, monazite, titanite) is currently being conducted at the USGS/Stanford SHRIMP laboratory or the University of Arizona LaserChron Center. For more information about the services available and pricing, please contact bill-mcclelland@uiowa.edu.

Petrographic Facilities

Since 1966, the Department of Geoscience has maintained a full-service rock lab for the purpose of making research-grade thin sections by hand and teaching these techniques to students. Over forty years later, we proudly carry on this tradition by continuing to maintain a thin section lab and satellite processing room dedicated to the production of high quality thin sections, the preparation of geologic specimens for modern analytical methods, and the instruction of these techniques to students involved in research projects. We happily offer these same services to individuals and companies not affiliated with the University of Iowa at the lowest rates possible. For more information about the services available, please contact matthew-wortel@uiowa.edu.