Services and Rates

Rates quoted here are basic rates for projects funded through UAF and are subject to change without notice.  Rates quoted here are as of July, 2022.

Surcharges: Projects that are not funded through UAF are subject to an approximately 55% surcharge (see the UAF Office of Sponsored Programs for current rates) because of Federal regulations. Surcharge for State of Alaska agencies are typically 25%.  Please contact us for the exact surcharge rate for your project.

Should your experiment need additional expendables (i.e. grinding agent for XRF pellets or a special column for LC-ICP-MS work) an additional charge on a cost plus basis will be applied unless you can provide the necessary supplies yourself.

JEOL JXA-8530F Electron Microprobe

  • Developmental rate $36.00 / hour
  • Research rate $56.90 /hour
  • Daily rate $1030 .00/ day (24 hours)
  • Weekend rate $1030.00 / weekend  - generally 6pm Friday to 9am Monday
  • UAF holidays may qualify for the weekend rate
  • Operator time is charged at $90.50/hour regardless, and is generally not available on weekends or holidays.

Typical analyses take 2-5 minutes per point depending on the number of analyzed elements and detection limit required. Calibration of the instrument typically takes one to two hours.

FEI Quanta 200 Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope

  • Instrument: $34.00 / hour
  • Additional operator assistance: $90.50 / hour
  • Special discounted rates apply for BLaST users. Please inquire for details.

JEOL 1200 Transmission Electron Microscope

        The TEM is currently not available, but could be brought to life if you require it.

  • Instrument: $34.00 / hour
  • Additional operator assistance: $90.50 / hour

Panalytical MRD X-Ray Diffraction

  • XRD Research: Instrument: $16.40 / hour for first 8 hours
  • XRD Research - extended: After a continuous 8 hours in a 24 hour period, $6.00 / hour
  • XRD Developmental: $6.10 / hour
  • Additional operator assistance: $90.00 / hour

Panalytical Axios X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometer

  • Developmental rate: $15.50 / hour
  • Research rate: $35.00 / hour
  • Daily Rate: $540.00 / day (24 hours)
  • Operator assistance: $90.00 / hour

Typical silicate analyses take 7-25 minutes depending on the number of elements analyzed and the detection limit required. The Axios also has a rapid semi-quantitative mode (relative accuracy typically better than 25% relative) which can analyze the entire periodic table above F at the 10-20ppm level in two minutes and at the 2-10ppm level in 15 minutes. Calibrations are monitored with drift monitors and generally are not needed on a per run basis.

Agilent 7500ce/cs (LA,LC) ICP-MS

       The ICP-MS is currently not available.

  • Developmental rate: $60.40/hour
  • Research: $80.50/hour
  • Run by AIL Staff : $171.00/hour (no additional instrument charges)
  • Microwave sample digestion $50.00/hour

Typical analyses of liquid samples take 2-10 minutes per sample depending on the number of analyzed elements and sample matrix. LC samples generally take 15-20 minutes. Detection limits are generally in the ppb range. Instrument warm up and tuning takes 1.25 hours. Calibration takes approximately one hour.
Typical laser analyses take 1-2 minutes per point. Detection limits are generally in the ppm range. Instrument warm up and tuning takes 1 hour. Calibration takes approximately 10-20 minutes and should be repeated every ~2 hours during a run.

Instrument time and operator time are billed separately as many of our instruments can run unattended for multiple hours.

Several instruments list “developmental” rates. AIL recognizes that its instrumentation can perform analyses beyond those we already perform on a routine basis. The developmental rate recognizes this and allows users to experiment with the instruments at a reduced rate. In return, the user is responsible for providing AIL with a concise document describing the method so that other users may take advantage of it.

AIL has most of the equipment you will need to prepare samples for analysis in our lab. These include: facilities for preparing geologic thin sections, biological ultra-thin sections (TEM), microwave digestion, sample pulverizing and briquetting or fusing and gold or carbon coating.

Use of the Anton-Paar Multiwave 3000 Microwave Digestion System costs $50/run + chemicals.

Training

Training can be provided to the level required for your experiment at the listed hourly rates. Training for the microprobe and XRFs can also be obtained through GEOS 600. Training for the ESEM can be obtained through GEOS 428/628. We prefer that you operate the instruments yourself because 1) You know better than we do what results you need, and 2) You don’t have to pay the operator assistance charge!