CODES – Centre for Ore Deposit and Earth Sciences

Lapidary Charges & Requests

Submit a Lapidary Request


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

82.28164.56205.70

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

68.97137.94173.03

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

95.59191.18239.58
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

148.83297.66384.78

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

Note: Samples that need special treatment will incur an additional charge of $5.45 ea. (internal), $10.90 ea (external)