Facilities & Services

The Department is well-equipped for research and hands-on learning experiences with standard research tools that are expected in a Geological or Earth Sciences and Geological Engineering department. We are also equipped with a growing variety of high-tech and specialized research equipment. These facilities are summarized below.

The Department is well-equipped for research and hands-on learning experiences with standard research tools that are expected in a Geological or Earth Sciences and Geological Engineering department. We are also equipped with a growing variety of high-tech and specialized research equipment. These facilities are summarized below.

Queen's Facility for Isotope Research (QFIR)

Co-Directors: Dr. Dan Layton-Matthews, Dr. Matthew Leybourne, Dr. Peir Pufahl, Dr. Christopher Spencer
Associate Scientists: Dr. Gema Olivo, Dr. Laurent Godin, Dr. Chris Spencer, Dr. Jennifer DayDr. Bas Vriens, Dr. Steve Lougheed (Biology), Dr. John Smol (Biology), Dr. Diane Beauchemin (Chemistry)
  • Stable isotope & ICP/MS Lab
  • Electron Microbeam (Microprobe and SEM-MLA)
  • X-Ray Diffraction (including 2D micro-X-Ray Diffraction)
  • Thin Section and Rock Room

Queen's Advanced Geomechanics Testing Laboratory

Dr. Mark Diederichs, Dr. Jennifer Day

  • MTS 2500 kN loading frame for state-of-art rock unconfined compressive stress, triaxial and tensile testing
  • GCTS servo-controlled direct shear machine
  • Sample preparation, conformity testing, and preservation equipment

Geomechanics Imaging Lab

Dr. Jean Hutchinson, Rob Harrap

  • LiDAR imaging systems – Reigl, Faro and Optech
  • Photography equipment – Gigapan robotic heads, Canon and Nikon DSLR cameras and lenses
  • Phantom IV Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)
  • High performance work stations
  • 3D Geometry Modelling Software: Photoscan, CloudCompare, RiScan, Polyworks, Cyclone, Scene
  • Game Engine Software: Unity, Houdini
  • Database Asset: 8+ years of rock slope monitoring data from several large slopes adjacent to railway infrastructure in western Canada

Computational Geomechanics Lab

Dr. Mark Diederichs, Dr. Jean Hutchinson, Dr. Jennifer Day

  • High performance work stations with industry standard and state-of-art 2D and 3D geomechanics software
  • RocScience software suite
  • Itasca Consulting Group Software: FLAC, FLAC3D, UDEC, 3DEC, PFC2D, PFC3D, Rhino, Griddle
  • Discrete Fracture Network software: FRACMAN, Mofrac

Sedimentary Geology Lab

Dr. Elisabeth SteelDr. Peir Pufahl

  • Mastersizer 3000 Particle Size Analyzer (for measuring grain size distributions), Centrifuge, and Fume Hood
  • Clay separation preparation facilities for X-Ray Diffraction
  • Workstation with Kingdom suite petroleum geology software for interpretation of subsurface datasets
  • Flume facilities housed in Coastal Engineering Lab:
    • Log flume for turbidity currents (30 cm wide x 4 m long x 70 cm deep, glass sided)
    • Delta and Deepwater Basin: 4 m x 4 m basin, 1 m deep, with 2 glass sides for viewing, equipped with submersible topographic scanner and sea-level control system

Environmental and Aqueous Geochemistry Labs

Dr. Bas Vriens

  • Fourier transform infrared spectrometer -micro ATR (for microplastic polymer and mineral identification)
  • Micromeritics TriStar II BET surface area analyzer equipped with N2 and Kr for both low and high surface area materials
  • Titroline 7000 auto-alkalinity titrator
  • Shaking water baths
  • Mixed flow and batch low T experimental apparatus
  • Refrigerated incubator
  • MilliQ ultrapure water system
  • Integrion HPIC system for aqueous speciation analysis
  • Automated microwave digestion system, freeze dryer

Departmental Computing Facilities

  • Industry standard geomechanics numerical modelling software by RocScience
  • Earth Systems Information Laboratory (ESIL): Computing educational facility with a wide range of software packages used in industry and research, including ArcGIS, AutoCAD, Maya, Iogas, as well as productivity and programming applications
  • Rose Lab: Small group education and research facility with dual-monitor workstations and a mix of software packages used in research and education including ArcGIS, Maya, Unity, CloudCompare, Leapfrog, as well as productivity and programming applications. The Rose Lab is also used as a remote computing facility for longer-term compute jobs.

Additional Departmental Facilities and Resources

  • Optical Microscope labs and thin section specimen teaching collection
  • Structural geology rock teaching collection
  • Paleontology fossil teaching collection
  • Economic geology ore minerals and rocks teaching collection
  • Geotechnical drill core teaching collection
  • Miller Museum of Geology rock, mineral, and fossil specimen collections
  • Miller Museum of Geology Augmented Reality 3D Sandbox
  • Technical and safety equipment for field studies