Using rocks to study the past
Our Cutting Laboratory is used by specially trained technicians to prepare rock samples by extracting cores and slicing thin sections.
The samples are used by researchers and students on courses including BSc (Hons) Palaeontology and BSc (Hons) Earth Science.
The work carried out in the lab supports the research carried out by staff and students in the Crustal Evolution and Tectonics research group, the Palaeontology and Environmental Change research group and the Centre for Applied Geosciences.
Equipment and amenities
- Radial arm diamond-tipped coring drill – used to prepare rock cores from bulk rock
- ATM 500 saw – an automated, programmable diamond-bladed saw for precision cutting and serial slicing of rocks
- 2 large diamond bladed saws – for cutting rock chips for petrographic thin section preparation
Related facilities
Crushing Laboratory
Explore our Crushing Laboratory, including equipment that splits, crushes, and mills solid rock samples to fine dust or powder for molecular analysis.
Mineral Separation Laboratory
Explore our Mineral Separation Laboratory, where we separate and pick crystal grains from crushed rock for Palynology slides to help us understand how the earth was formed and tackle climate change.
Palaeontology and Advanced Microscopy Laboratories
Examine rock, mineral and fossil specimens using the specialist kit in these labs, such as transmitted light, polarising and scanning electron microscopes, and explore processes including acid digestion, air abrasion and microfossil extraction.
