Analytical Costs at the Arizona LaserChron Center

The cost of conducting analyses at the Arizona LaserChron Center depends on whether the research is supported by the National Science Foundation, and whether the analyses are conducted by students, non-student users, or LaserChron staff. Because operation of the center is supported in part by the National Science Foundation, research conducted as part of an active NSF award is subsidized at a rate of ~50%.

Note that the costs listed below are for future projects, and have increased slightly from our 2002-2009 costs.

Cost of U-Th-Pb analysis of zircon, sphene, apatite, and monazite:

• $5 per analysis if funded by NSF, and users conduct analyses
• $10 per analysis if funded by NSF, and analyses are conducted by LaserChron staff
• $10 per analysis if non-NSF funding, and users conduct analyses
• $15 per analysis if non-NSF funding, and analyses are conducted by LaserChron staff.
• $20 per analysis for non-academic (e.g., industry) research

Note that there is no charge for analyses of standards or for analyses that are discarded due to instrument malfunction.

Cost of Hf-Yb-Lu analysis:

• $10 per analysis if funded by NSF, and users conduct analyses
• $15 per analysis if funded by NSF, and analyses are conducted by LaserChron staff
• $15 per analysis if non-NSF funding, and users conduct analyses
• $20 per analysis if non-NSF funding, and analyses are conducted by LaserChron staff.
• $30 per analysis for non-academic (e.g., industry) research

Note that there is no charge for analyses of standards or for analyses that are discarded due to instrument malfunction.

Sample preparation:

Cost for zircon extraction and separation from a rock sample is $300. Normal turn-around is 2 months.
Cost of additional work on samples if mineral separates are <80% zircon = $100.

Support for student research:

NSF has provided up to $200 per student per day for students to conduct analyses at the LaserChron Center. These funds can be used to cover travel/lodging/meals while working in the lab (but not while in transit to and from Tucson or when preparing samples for analysis). See additional information under Student Support.

Recommended number of analyses:

• 20 zircon analyses for simple igneous sample (no Pb-loss or inheritance)
• 40 zircon analyses for complex igneous sample (25 cores & 25 tips/rims)
• 20 sphene analyses for cooling age
• 100 zircon analyses for detrital zircon sample

SEM or CL imaging = $35 per hour for instrument use

Cost Structure for Typical Samples:

	NSF funded User operated	NSF funded Staff operated	Non-NSF User operated	Non-NSF Staff operated	Non-Academic
Zircons from simple igneous sample	$100	$200	$200	$300	$400
Zircons from complex igneous sample	$200	$400	$400	$600	$1000
Sphene for cooling age	$100	$200	$200	$300	$400
Detrital zircon analysis	$500	$1000	$1000	$1500	$2000