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Consultation and Services

Services Available on Commercial Basis

Laboratories of the Department of Geology, University of Peradeniya provides a comprehensive suite of analytical and interpretative geologic services in support of exploration and production projects. These services include full in-house capabilities for petrographic and sedimentological analysis, chemical analysis of geological and environmental materials, geophysical investigation etc.

More Details can be obtained from Head of the Department or from Industrial Interaction Cell of the Faculty of Science.

Petrological/sedimentological laboratory

Petrological/sedimentological laboratories provide various types of conventional and advanced studies on commercial basis.

• Preparation of normal thin sections, polished thin sections and ore mounts
• Preparation of oriented sections (for petrofabric studies)
• Preparation of grain mounts (for heavy mineral studies)
• Separation of magnetic/non magnetic minerals using Isodynamic separator
• Separation of non- magnetic heavy minerals using bromoform and other heavy liquids
• Petrographic study of rocks and minerals including ores
• Modal analyses of thin sections under microscopes (for quantitative estimation of mineral abundances)
• Determination of specific gravity of rocks and minerals
• Non- contamination grinding of rocks and minerals using agate pulverizer
• Grain size analyses (up to fine silt or, 1/256 mm)
• Core description and core logging
• Complete petrographic Evaluation of samples and petrographic compilation Reports

Engineering Geology and Geotechnical laboratories

Department of Geology played an active role in geotechnical studies related to all irrigation projects, hydroelectric projects, environmental projects, and urban developmental projects. The services available include geological mapping, generation of data on physical properties of rock, soil, coarse and fine aggregates, leak detection etc. on commercial basis. These geotechnical services include subsurface field investigations, geologic site characterization, laboratory testing of soil and rock, structure foundation and retaining wall design, soil cut and fill stability design, rock slope design, unstable slope management, unstable slope (e.g., rock fall, landslides, debris flow, etc.) mitigation, material source (pits and quarries) evaluation.

Chemical Laboratories

Chemical laboratory of the department is equipped with facilities for analyzing geological and environmental materials. The Laboratories are having instruments such as AAS with Hydride Generator, Orion Ion analyzer/electrodes and Spectrophotometers, cater the need of wide range of analysis. Assessment and confirmation of quantitative amount of various major, minor and trace elements in sample of geological/environmental importance are regularly done in the laboratory by experienced teams of geochemists.

The laboratory also can handle water, soil, rock, plant and samples of geological /environmental importance. Quality assurance of geochemical analysis consists of a multitude of tests and includes initial calibrations, continuing calibrations, method blank analyses, method detection limit analyses and matrix matched Certified Reference Materials (CRM) analysis. Compilation reports including statistical analysis, digital mapping of elements and data processing can also be carried out on demand.

• Water Analysis
  • Following parameters can be analyzed at the Geochemical Laboratory of the Department of Geology in water samples.
  • Alkalinity, pH, EC, ORP, Salinity, TDS, Hardness, nitrate, nitrite, phosphate, sulfate, sulfide, chloride, residual chorine, fluoride, iodine, trace metals (Na, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn etc.) and ultra trace elements such as As, Hg and Se.

• Soils, rocks and other geological/environmental samples
  • Quantitative analysis of major oxides
  • Base metals analysis (partial or total) by acid extraction/dissolution and AAS
  • Whole rock analysis by wet chemical cum AAS
  • Analysis of gold in geological samples
  • Determination of major ions in aqueous solutions
  • Weight loss of materials at given temperature ranges

Geophysical Laboratory

Staff of the Geophysical Laboratory has many years of experiences in handling Groundwater/Mineral exploration, site investigation, Identification of sub-surface structures, aquifer mapping and studies on sea-water incursion using IP-Resistivity, electromagnetic, and bore-hole logging.

Services available

• Mineral exploration
• Groundwater exploration
• Geophysical mapping for structures
• Archeological studies
• Interpretation of geophysical data

Geological Mapping and GIS based studies

Aerial photo/satellite image interpretation is used by the geology department as an aid to geological mapping structural elucidation, mineral investigation, Quaternary geology and geomorphological mapping, hazard studies and geo-environmental appreciation since four decades. The department has the necessary expertise and facilities for undertaking various aspects of environmental appraisal and impact assessment. It has expertise in acquisition and integration of geological data (necessary for EIA studies) from primary and secondary sources.

Mineral Resources Exploration

Department of Geology has an excellent track record of augmenting the mineral resources of the country all throughout its existence. It has a core group of exploration geo-scientists adept in the assessment of different mineral deposits in varied geological terrains. The department also has facilities for geophysical investigations and geochemical stream sediment surveys to back up the exhaustive mineral exploration work. Modern facilities also exist for digital data collection, storage, processing, analysis and interpretation.

• Services available
  • Exploration of minerals in any terrain from reconnaissance to detailed exploration Integrated deposit modeling assisted by geophysical and geochemical surveys.

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