Curtin University Order TESCAN SEM-Based Minerals Analyser from AXT

AXT Pty Ltd is happy to announce that it has been competitively selected to provide a TESCAN Integrated Minerals Analyser (TIMA). The John de Laeter Centre (JDLC) at Curtin University in Western Australia has recently placed an order for an automated minerals analyser based on scanning electron microscope (SEM) technology.

This order marks the second TIMA that will be installed in Western Australia this year, and the second TESCAN electron microscope to be purchased for the JDLC. In January 2014, AXT commissioned a TESCAN MIRA Schottky Field Emission Gun (FEG-SEM) instrument for large area Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) and Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD) mapping of minerals.

While the TIMA is available based on two platforms, Curtin University has selected the more powerful (FEG-SEM) platform based on the MIRA design. The Curtin TIMA system features the larger GM fully analytical chamber which enables the loading of up to 15 x 30mm diameter samples and as many as 20 detectors and accessories.

The TIMA seamlessly integrates EDS detectors and software to rapidly and automatically analyse samples for mineralogy using three measurement modes, namely modal analysis, liberation analysis and bright phase search. In addition, it will also incorporate TESCAN’s unique compact Rainbow cathodoluminescence (CL) detector which is ideally suited to the identification of different mineral phases, allowing simultaneous CL and Backscatter (BSE) imaging, a capability not available using conventional CL detectors.

Prof. Brent McInnes, Director of the John de Laeter Centre commented, “The TIMA acquisition is jointly funded by a research consortium including Curtin University, the University of Western Australia, Murdoch University, the Geological Survey of Western Australia, the Australian Research Council and the WA Office of Science. We look forward to working with AXT and TESCAN to build a Digital Mineralogy Hub in Western Australia for minerals, energy, materials and environmental research. The TIMA will play a critical role in managing the microanalytical workflow of several JDLC facilities including over $20M of ion, laser, electron and atom microprobe instrumentation.”

If you would like to enquire about the Digital Mineralogy Hub Facility, or indeed how the TIMA and MIRA could benefit your business please feel free to contact Prof. McInnes at b.mcinnes_at_curtin.edu.au.

Following the installation, scheduled for November, AXT and TESCAN will continue to provide ongoing hardware and software support and maintenance for their systems. For more information about AXT and their product lines, please visit www.axt.net.au or email us.

Posted August 4, 2014