The establishment of research and testing facilities is part of the S&T Plan of the Department of Science and Technology.  This is seen to redound to capacity building of researchers and scientists. For two years, the UP-National Institute of Geological Sciences (UP-NIGS) worked for the realization of the much-needed modern equipment and facilities that would allow them to analyze or characterize earth materials and many other materials.  This came to fruition with the conduct of a project that undertook the geochemical, mineralogical and geophysical characterization of Philippine ores and related deposits. The Philippines has a long mining history and the classical and more common types of deposits have been found.  However, finding the less obvious or “blind” deposits, understanding the whole process of ore formation, transport of metals and fluids as well as the underlying rock structures need more sophisticated approach.

More importantly, local mining companies can now demand higher value for ores since they will be able to process them instead of exporting them as raw minerals  For example, it is reported that there are other important trace elements from nickel laterite and saprolite ores. Being able to determine the concentrations of these trace elements and process them into valuable minerals will redound to higher income and value-added products.

At the UP-NIGS, these state-of-the-art equipment are installed and serving researchers and those in the mining industry.

1. Quadopole-ICP-MS (Octopole Reaction System, Multi-Collector-Inductively-Coupled-Plasma-Mass Spectrometer)

This is currently the best available analytical tool for earth materials and many other materials (e.g. biological and chemical samples’ water and environmental samples, clinical examples, among others).  It is capable of the widest range of trace element analysis of any analytical equipment for inorganic materials, including mining samples.  There is an Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (AAS) available in commercial and academic laboratories in the Philippines but it can only analyze a limited range of elements compared to the ICP-MS.  The ICP-MS can analyze the lanthanide elements (e.g. La through Lu) but the AAS cannot.  Important ratios using lanthanides can be used in distinguishing between rocks of continental versus island arc origins which are important in determining potential gold-bearing rocks.  Further, the ICP-MS makes it possible to obtain isotope ratios which are important in distinguishing between sources of ore deposits.  It is expected that UP-NIGS will be able to immensely upgrade its materials science research output, at the same time, capable of maintaining the equipment which is very sensitive to temperature change.  No private company in the country has this kind of equipment, which is also the latest model.

2. X-Ray Diffractometer (XRD)

This is the best equipment that can do structural characterization of materials, especially mining-related samples.  In conjunction with microscopy and chemical analysis from XRF and ICP-MS, XRD data allow the identification of the phases found in mining samples.  This is critical in determining where the ore element and other trace elements may be located.

3. Portable X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) System

For the rapid and field characterization of materials that cannot be easily brought to the laboratory (e.g. analysis of mine ore and tailings samples, soil and water samples from geochemical exploration, and powdered rock and minerals samples).  The advantage of this unit is the relative ease of samples preparation and absence of consumables.  It can be brought to the field where electricity is available.  The technology is relatively new but it is accurate and turn-around time is really fast (20 minutes per sample versus at least 1 day for traditional wet chemistry).

4. Ground Penetrating Radar

This geophysical unit allows limited imaging of the subsurface, but coupled with resistivity and geochemical profiles, could improve vastly the characterization of ore sections.

5. Electrical Resistivity

The equipment measures the subsurface resistivity profile, and along with ground-penetrating radar, will give a more holistic geophysical characterization of ore horizons.

6. XRF Core Scanner Machine

This is a powerful analytical technique which is fast, non-tedious and non-destructive for sediments.  It can detect tephra layers, metal pollution signatures and different lithologies and provenances in marine sediments.  It is also used to analyze whole-rock, major and trace elements.  The data gathered from XRF are used as proxies for biogenic primary production, sedimentation conditions, diagenetic changes, past weathering, leaching and erosion intensities, and paleo-redox conditions, as well as for sub-millimeter scale analysis and counting of fine laminations.

The facilities and services are offered to researchers and those in the various industries with corresponding fees.