252Cf Irradiation and Academic Services: Apatite to Zircon, Inc.

Fission-Track Analytical Services:

• Apatite Fission-Track (AFT) services
  We routinely offer our AFT services in support of academic research projects, either as subcontractors through Apatite to Zircon, Inc. (previously Donelick Analytical, Inc.) for research proposals or as co-PIs through our affiliation with the University of Idaho-Moscow. We welcome the opportunity to provide seed data for research proposals and we are flexible in our pricing for academic research studies. Our standard academic prices are competitive (at least 35 percent lower than our commercial prices; and they include our overhead) and we back up our data with comprehensive, published experimental calibrations for purposes of interpretation (see our publications link).
  
  
• Zircon Fission-Track (ZFT) services
  We offer ZFT services in addition to our AFT services described above. We are not well published in this method, but we are quite capable of producing high-quality data.

Support Services:

• AFTSolve software for interpreting AFT data
  Through our partnership with Dr. Richard A. Ketcham (University of Texas at Austin), we make available to the academic community, free of charge, our AFTSolve software. Interested users are urged to download the latest version of the software and user's manual (see AFTSolve apatite fission-track annealing software link for more information) and to interact directly with Rich (richk@maestro.geo.utexas.edu) concerning the scientific basis of AFTSolve. Use of AFTSolve is free for all projects lacking a commercial component; if questions exist concerning what we consider a commercial component, please contact Ray or Margaret Donelick (donelick@apatite.com) or Paul O'Sullivan (osullivan@apatite.com)
• ²⁵²Cf irradiation services
  
We offer free ²⁵²Cf irradiation services for non-commercial projects; we simply ask that you pay return shipping, preferably but not limited to Federal Express courier. You may send us polished grain mounts. Our irradiation apparatus has a maximum 3 inch (7.5 cm) diameter target area and each irradiation takes several 10s of hours to several days to complete. Affix as many grains mounts as possible to a single 3 inch x 5 inch (7.5 cm x 12.5 cm) index card using double-stick tape, centering the grain mounts on the card, polished sides up, within a 3 inch (7.5 cm) diameter area. There is no limit to the number of samples or index cards you can submit. If we need to re-arrange the grain mounts, we will notify you but will not charge you for this. You may also send us whole rock material or apatite mineral separates and we will gladly prepare the samples for you. For further details, including prices for sample preparation procedures, please contact Ray or Margaret Donelick (donelick@apatite.com).

Student Services:

• Teaching/Training services
  We welcome student visitors to our laboratory. We provide training ranging from introductory to advanced levels and we are willing to provide access to our facilities to permit completion of projects. Details concerning funding, lodging, and duration of laboratory access are generally project-specific.
• Graduate student support services
  We welcome the opportunity to serve as formal or informal advisors or committee members to graduate students.

Apatite to Zircon home

Please send comments and suggestions to Ray or Margaret at donelick@apatite.com
or Paul at osullivan@apatite.com
© 2003 Apatite to Zircon, Inc.