Mining & Minerals

Mining and mineral operations help support our nation’s supply chain, and provide a wide range of industries with raw materials for their products, including cosmetics, food and pharmaceutical products, electronics, and heating and electrical systems. Mined minerals are also a critical resource for the roads, bridges, and rail systems that enable products to reach customers. Coal still contributes a significant percentage of the nation’s energy.

Worker Safety and Environmental Regulations

We provide analytical and consulting services to support mining and mineral processing operators. We understand our clients’ need for timely resolution of regulatory and environmental concerns is critical, and we offer:

  • OSHA, MSHA and EPA-mandated analytical methods for routine compliance monitoring for asbestos, crystalline silica, metals or vapors
  • Analysis of air samples for ambient, combustible and flammable gases
  • Analysis of surface and groundwater samples
  • Characterization of mine waste

We Support Your Manufacturing Supply Chain

Our clients benefit from our multi-disciplinary expertise in mineral characterization, and the capabilities of our full-service laboratory enable us to support manufacturers and their product supply chain.

  • Third-party verification of raw and in-process materials to ensure they meet product specifications
  • Determination of mineral composition of mined ore, raw material and finished products
  • Characterization of ores and products for regulated minerals and/or contaminant minerals
  • Geological evaluations of mines and quarries
  • Product use simulation studies
  • Scientific litigation support for product liability, toxic tort, and other areas
  • Geotechnical services

Characterizing Your Minerals

Our scientists use the analytical techniques best suited to address your mineral characterization questions:

  • X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) – phase identification
  • X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) – elemental analysis
  • Wet chemistry techniques – gravimetric and volumetric concentration
  • Electron microscopy (SEM, TEM) – particle size, shape and elemental composition
  • Optical microscopy (PCM, PLM) – mineral identification and quantitation
  • Spectroscopy (Infrared, Raman) – particle identification

NOTE: Our technical staff and a targeted suite of laboratory capabilities are field deployable when necessary.

Submit a Sample & Chain of Custody