Upgrade of geochemical analytical facilities at South Dakota Mines

South Dakota School Of Mines And Technology, Rapid City SD

Investigators

Abstract

This award supports the acquisition of an ion chromatography system and sample preparation equipment at South Dakota School of Mines & Technology (South Dakota Mines) to enable a diversity of low-temperature geochemical analyses currently not possible in the region. Ion chromatography is used to measure major and minor element concentrations in a range of sample materials including natural waters and soil and rock extracts. Access to an ion chromatography system will facilitate projects focused on a range of topics including water quality and soil chemistry. The instrument will be part of a multiuser research facility, enabling the growth of low-temperature geochemistry research on campus and provide access to users from across the greater region. The instrument will also be incorporated into courses for our undergraduate geology students, training the next generation of Earth scientists. Funds will also be used to support hands-on workshops for training on the instrumentation for students and staff at South Dakota Mines and local tribal colleges including Oglala Lakota College. Producing high-quality geochemical measurements of rocks, soils, and natural waters is essential to address a wide range of questions in the Earth sciences in both modern environments and through deep time. This grant will support upgrades to the analytical geochemistry facilities at South Dakota Mines to enable measurements of a wider range of analytes from more diverse sample types than is currently possible with a focus on applications in low-temperature geochemistry. Specifically, funds will be used to purchase an ion chromatography (IC) system for cations and anions and upgrades to low-temperature geochemistry sample preparation equipment. This equipment is currently unavailable at South Dakota Mines or elsewhere in the western South Dakota region, requiring outsourcing to other facilities that are at least three hundred miles away. Collectively, this instrumentation and equipment will enhance the research and teaching capabilities available at South Dakota Mines for PI Keenan, Co-PI Beeler, and others, and will better leverage existing instrumentation on campus to enable a full suite of essential low-temperature geochemical analyses to be performed in-house. A variety of ongoing research projects will be supported by the IC instrumentation including investigations of biogeochemical cycling in modern and ancient environments, studies of vertebrate fossilization processes, and assessments of water quality in the Black Hills and Northern Great Plains region. In addition, the IC system will be used to develop workshops and course modules for students, faculty, and staff from South Dakota Mines and Oglala Lakota College to expand experiential learning opportunities. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.