Automation of a geoscan electron microprobe

The importance to the exploration and exploitation of mineral resources of the elemental data from rocks and minerals is widely recognised. Consequently, laboratories are faced with ever increasing multitudes of samples at the same time as they are fighting against rising instrumental and labour costs. An electron microprobe has been in operation as an integral part of research projects at the Geologic Laboratory, of the Outokumpu Co for almost a decade and great number of specimens have been, and thousands more will be analysed by ridged routine. Under these circumstances the feasibility of converting the manually operated Geoscan Mark I electron microprobe into computer controlled automated device was seriously considered. After some preliminary tests the actual plan materialised as a joint venture of the Geological Laboratory, the Physics Research Laboratory and the Engineering Division of the Outokumpu Co. The instrumentation system