Applications

SHRIMP  Applications

The SHRIMP instruments have applications in both research and in economic geology, as well as paleo-environmental analysis of oxygen isotope levels. Specific economic geological applications include oil exploration, in which the SHRIMP  can provide data on sediment provenance as well as timing of fluid inflows into reservoir rocks. These are described in more detail in the SHRIMP  IIe and SHRIMP  IV papers here.

Alphachron Applications

The Alphachron™ has been developed in response to a demand for an automated means of determining the thermal history of sediments. It has applications in both research and economic geology, particularly in determining the history of secondary ore deposits, location of kimberlite pipes for diamond exploration and in analysis of hydrocarbon sediments. The Alphachron™ can determine if a sediment has exceeded the retention temperature for gas or for oil, and hence whether a potential reserviour is prospective. The Alphachron™ provides a highly productive and cost-effective alternative to fission track dating of minerals such as zircon and apatite, with researchers adding to the range of applicable minerals.

RESOchron Applications

The RESOchron extends the capabilities of the Alphachron, allowing rapid double dating of samples which allows 'hot zircons'  to be rapidly identified in large sample sets.

Technical notes on the application of the Alphachron to diamond exploration, assessment of sites for nuclear repositories, petroleum exploration and tectonic research are provided on the Download page.