CODES – Centre for Ore Deposit and Earth Sciences
Lapidary Charges & Requests
Lapidary charges as of July 2025
Products | Code | Internal rate; $ | Urgent internal rate; $ | External rate; $ |
Standard Thin Section ~50 x 25 mm 30µ on 76 x 26 mm slide, no cover glass. No special treatment. | TS | 29.04 | 58.08 | 73.26 |
Large Thin Section up to 76 x 52 mm x 30µ, no cover glass. No special treatment. | LTS | 58.08 | 116.16 | 145.20 |
Polished Thin Section ~50 x 25 mm 30µ on 76 x 26 mm glass. Top surface only polished to 1µ diamond. | PTS | 58.08 | 116.16 | 145.20 |
Large Polished Thin Section up to 76 x 52 mm. Top surface only polished to 1µ diamond. | LPTS | 116.16 | 232.32 | 290.40 |
Double Polished Thin Section in 50 x 25 mm x 30µ on 76 x 26 mm glass. Top and bottom surfaces polished to 1µ diamond, mainly for sphalerite examination. Softer minerals may be thinner. | DPTS | 87.12 | 174.24 | 217.80 |
Large Double Polished Thin Section. Up to 76 x 52 mm top and bottom surfaces polished to 1µ diamond. | LDPTS | 174.24 | 348.48 | 435.60 |
Laser Mount. Sample mounted in ~12 mm thick x 25 mm diameter plastic cylinder. One surface polished to 1µ diamond, suitable for Electron Microprobe and ICPMS Laser. | LM | 29.04 | 58.08 | 73.26 |
Mineral Liberation Analysis Tile. A small tile of rock 30x30x12mm polished on one side with rounded corners. | MLAT | 29.04 | 58.08 | 73.26 |
Polished Thick Section. As for PTS, but 100-300µ (please specify). For Melt inclusion work. | PTH | 58.08 | 116.16 | 145.20 |
Fluid Inclusion Section. Up to 8 square centimetre section of sample polished on both sides for maximum light transmission. Thickness 1.0 mm to 100µ (please specify); also specify for heating stage or I.R. work. | FI | 58.08 | 116.16 | 145.20 |
Laser Ablation Wafer (Sulphur Isotopes at CSL). Up to 8 square centimetres section of sample; sulphides polished to ~3µ diamond one side only. Thickness ~200µ. Removable glue. | LW | 29.04 | 58.08 | 73.26 |
Polished Slab. A flat piece of coherent rock up to 150mm long polished to ~3µ diamond one side only. | PSL | 58.08 | 116.16 | 145.20 |
Ground Slab. A flat piece of rock up to 150mm diameter, ground to 400# for photography or staining. | GSL | 29.04 | 58.08 | 73.26 |
Polished Grain Mount. Individual grains set in epoxy in rows and the top surface polished to 1µ diamond. Specify the detail in the Comments field in the online request form. | PGR | 29.04 | 58.08 | 73.26 |
Polished Grain Thin Section. ~50 x 25 mm; 30-300 um thick on a 76 x 26 mm. Top surface polished to 1μ diamond. Specify the detail in the Comments field in the online request form. | PGR | 82.28 | 164.56 | 205.70 |
Polished grain mount (25 mm) of a concentrate > 100 um grain size. Vertical and horizontal cuts are mounted together. Specify the detail in the Comments field in the online request form. | PGR | 68.97 | 137.94 | 173.03 |
Polished grain mount (25 mm) of a concentrate 40 - 100 um grain size. Vertical and horizontal cuts are mounted together. Specify the detail in the Comments field in the online request form. | PGR | 95.59 | 191.18 | 239.58 |
| Polished grain mount (25 mm) of a concentrate < 40 um grain size. Vertical and horizontal cuts are mounted together. Specify the detail in the Comments field in the online request form. | PGR | 148.83 | 297.66 | 384.78 |
Large Polished Slab (>150 mm long). The charges depend on the time it takes to process the sample - Charges listed are per hour. | LPSL | $70.18 | $140.36 | $175.45 |
Services and consumables | Rate; $ |
Sawing | 55.66/hour or 6.60/hand-spec. |
Cover slipping | 3.96/TS 7.26/LTS |
Repolishing carbon-coated and oxidised samples | 1.98/sample |
Sawing by users | 29.04/hour or 3.025/hand-spec |
Using polishing materials and equipment by users | 29.04/hour |
Advice from Lapidary staff | 87.12/hour |