EPMA (Microprobe) Lab

Mineral chemistry is a very important aspect of our research, because it reveals details about the rock’s history that you can’t see with your eyes alone.

What we do

In the Microprobe Lab, we host an electron probe microanalyzer (EPMA). Our field-emission gun EPMA, a JEOL JXA-8530F Hyperprobe, allows us to obtain quantitative major and minor element concentrations on a micrometer scale. Any well-polished solid can be studied, but we mainly focus on a broad spectrum geomaterials including upper mantle rocks, volcanics, sediments, fossils, meteorites, and experimentally produced samples.

In addition to quantitative spot measurements, we can acquire qualitative and quantitative element distribution maps, as well as cathodoluminescence (CL) images. EPMA measurements are non-destructive for most materials.

As a Dutch national facility, our lab is open to internal and external users.