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Earth Sciences

Research Facilities

Our department a variety of specialised equipment and resources for research in addition to shared resources at the University of Regina and external resources. We also have a full-time technician, Ms. Joanne Downing. These facilities empower our faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate summer and project students in their cutting-edge research activities. Individual faculty members are responsible for their lab resources, but we often share access to resources as needed by other faculty members and University of Regina researchers. If you are interested in accessing a facility, please reach out to the faculty contact listed for that facility for more information. Note that access to facilities at the University of Regina requires safety training offered through URegina Health and Safety.

Facilities are listed in alphabetical order, with communal facilities at the end. Please click the “+” sign beside each lab or facility to read about our resources.

Environmental Geochemistry and Interfaces (EGI) Lab

This facility (LB 317.3) provides space and equipment to conduct low temperature geochemical experiments and prepare samples for further analysis. Existing infrastructure includes an automated potentiometric titrator, microelectrode sensors, and chemically inert hotplates whose acquisition was supported by a CFI-JELF grant. The long-term vision is to acquire a laser ablation ICP-MS system to support the analysis of a wide array of environmental samples. The faculty member contact for this facility is Dr. Leslie Robbins.

Dr. Robbins doing lab work at the Environmental Geochemistry and Interfaces Lab.

Geofluids Lab

The laboratory (LB317, 306-585-4583) hosts facilities for analysis and modeling of geofluids, including instruments for fluid inclusion microthermometry, Raman spectroscopy, and workstations and software for numerical modeling of fluid flow and geochemical reactions. Instruments for microthermometry include Linkam THMS600 and USGS-style Fluid Inc. heating-freezing stages (from -196˚C to 600˚C), a TS1500 high temperature stage for melt inclusions (to 1500˚C), digital cameras, IR attachment for fluid inclusions in opaque minerals, and UV attachment for petroleum inclusions. The Raman spectroscopy comprises a Renishaw RM Raman spectroscope equipped with 515 nm and 785 nm lasers and objectives of X50 (including long working distance) and X100. Software for geofluids modeling includes FLAC3D, TOUGHREACT (PetraSim), Basin2, BsnMod, and Geochemist’s Workbench (GWB). The faculty contact for these facilities is Dr. Guoxiang Chi.

Student looking through a microscope in the Geofluids Lab.

Geomicrobiology Research Lab

These facilities (LB413, LB415, 306-585-5337) include equipment for geomicrobiological and aqueous geochemical sample preparation and analyses. Equipment for culturing anaerobic microbes and processing anoxic samples include a N2:H2 anaerobic Coy glove box and an anaerobic degassing station. General laboratory equipment include a pH/Eh station, incubators, a benchtop spectrophotometer, microcentrifuges, a larger benchtop centrifuge, dry bath/block heaters, tube rotators, a Retsch M2000 grinder, vacuum pumps, a Labconco freeze dryer, refrigerated and shaking water baths, fume hoods, and a -80˚C freezer. Equipment for molecular biological sample preparation and analyses include a FastPrep homogenizer, Labconco Airclean workstation, Qubit fluorometer, and PCR/qPCR machines. The microscopy room is equipped with an Olympus BX51 epifluorescence microscope with and a Teledyne Lumenera INFINITY 3S camera. The lab space also includes a dry lab area for researchers to conduct data analysis, and computing facilities. Field equipment includes a WILDCO hand core sediment sampler push corer and inflatable kayaks. This lab benefits from access to nearby CLS and IMSS facilities (see information in the other and external facilities sections below). The faculty member contact for this facility is Dr. Joyce McBeth.

Dr. McBeth working in the Geomicrobiology Research Lab

Geomodelling and Petrotectonic Lab

The facility (CW207.5/CW207.4) contains state-of-the-art equipment and software packages for Geology, Geomodelling and GIS. The lab has Apple and PC workstations, a drafting table, and a large format scanner. There is a wide variety of software packages, including ArcGIS Pro, Leapfrog, Global Mapper, ENVI, IgPet, and GeoScout. Printing capabilities include an HP LajerJet color printer and an HP DesignJet 5500 42" plotter. The lab is also equipped with trinocular polarizing transmitted & reflected microscopes and imaging systems, as well as a portable magnetic susceptibility/conductivity meter. This lab group also has a space for mineral separation work (part of room LB316). The faculty contact for these facilities is Dr. Tsilavo Raharimahefa

Dr. Raharimahefa using a microscope in the Geomodelling and Petrotectonic Lab

Precambrian Tectonics & Ore Deposits Research Lab

The facility (LB420) contains bench space for map work and sample preparation. Computer workstations are equipped with software for map compilation (ArcGIS), structural-geometric analysis and geochemical-geochronological study. A transmitted & reflected light research microscope (Nikon EPOL600) with digital camera mount facilitates petrographic-microstructural study. the lab is equipped with a range of outdoor camping equipment, as well as an inflatable boat (zodiac) and motor, for research in remote (wilderness) areas of the Canadian shield. The faculty contact for this facility is Dr. Kathryn Bethune.

Geologists doing fieldwork.

Quaternary Geology and Paleoecology Research Lab
The facility (LB316, 306-337-2502) includes a wet lab suitable for soil analysis and for processing and analyzing sediment samples for microfossil content. It also contains a variety of microscopes and software for paleoecological and paleoenvironmental research. The contact faculty member for this facility is Dr. Maria Velez.
Sedimentary Geochemistry Research Lab
The facility (LB317, 306-585-4677) contains Petrographic Microscopes and Imaging Systems, Cold-Cathodoluminescence for Optical Microscope, and drilling machine for micro sampling. The faculty contact for this facility is Dr. Hairuo Qing
Sedimentology Research Lab
The facility (CW207) contains petrographic microscopes mounted with high resolution cameras. Other facilities for the sedimentary research include rock-cutting/crushing/grinding machines for preparation of samples for thin section, rock polishing and geochemical analyses. The lab is also equipped with computers that contain geological data base (e.g., GeoSCOUT with well data containing wireline logs, location of cored intervals, and porosity-permeability data), generation of maps, sedimentary logs and sketches (E.G., CorelDRAW), and Global mapper (v25.1). The lab shares space with the Geomodelling and Petrotectonic Lab and a number of facilities and software are shared together. The faculty contact for this facility is Dr. Osman Salad Hersi
Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) - Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (EDS) Facility

The Tescan scanning electron microscope instrument (room RI016) allows for the examination of minerals, rocks, and fossils at a variety of magnifications. Accessories include a backscattered electron detector, and an energy-dispersive detector. The contact faculty member for this facility is Dr. Ian Coulson, and Ms. Joanne Downing is a secondary contact person.

Tescan scanning electron microscope instrument.

Rock Sample Preparation Facility

These communal facilities (rooms CW 021 and CW 022) include cutting, crushing, grinding, milling and polishing equipment. There are also a selection of sieves for sample processing, a magnetic separator, and ovens for sample drying. The contact people for these facilities are Dr. Kathy Bethune, Dr. Tsilavo Raharimahefa, and Ms. Joanne Downing.

URegina – Other Facilities

Our researchers benefit from access to other user facilities at the University of Regina. These include:

Health and Safety – safety training, centralized chemicals database

External Facilities

Our researchers benefit from access to nearby scientific user facilities outside of the University of Regina. These include:

Teaching Equipment
Our teaching equipment for lab and field include a selection of microscopy and sample identification equipment as well as compasses and safety equipment, and geophysics equipment for measuring magnetic susceptibility and conductivity. For further information, see our teaching facilities.