Geoscience

Identification Services

The Geolab at the Australian Museum can provide identification services for rocks, minerals, gemstones and meteorites, for a reasonable fee.

Major analytical equipment includes:

Oxford Instruments Link Isis 200, Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectrometer
Philips PW1730 X-ray Diffractometer with automated PW1050 vertical goniometer and graphite monochromator.
Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) equipment used in conjunction with the SEM Manager, Evolutionary Biology Unit, comprising a Cambridge Stereoscan 120 SEM and a variable pressure Leo SEM.
Standard laboratory equipment for physical property testing of minerals and gemstones (fluorescence, radioactivity, SG, optical properties etc.)

Gemmologist at work. Photo: S Humphreys © Australian Museum.

Special Software

SIROQUANT software for estimation of weight% mineral phases from XRD scans is available.

Contacts

To discuss or book specimen identifications, contact Ross Pogson, Collection Manager for Mineralogy & Petrology:
Email Ross Pogson
Phone: (+612) 9320 6252

For gemstone identifications, contact Gayle Webb, Gemmologist:
Email Gayle Webb
Phone: (+612) 9320 6240