Pricing for EPMA Laboratory

 Updated 06 October 2025

 All prices are reflect Canadian dollars.

JEOL JXA-8530F ELECTRON MICROPROBE                     

Academic Rates (NSERC funded projects):

Hourly Rate (Day) $55/hour
Hourly Rate (Evening/Weekend)* $40/hour
 Carbon Coating

$10 per
petrogrpahic thin section

$8 per
1" epoxy puck

External Rates:

Hourly Rate (Day) $125/hour
Hourly Rate (Evening/Weekend)* $90/hour
 Carbon Coating

$15 per
petrogrpahic thin section

$13 per
1" epoxy puck

*Evening/Weekend rates refer to machine time for running previously set-up analyses only.

Staff operation and technical assistance is billed at $125 hour for all users (e.g., sample preparation, instrument and mapping setups, post-analytical data processing, data interpretations, consulting, etc.).

 

Bruker M4 TORNADO Micro-XRF                                 

Academic Rates (NSERC funded projects):

Hourly Rate* $30/hour
Daily Rate $180/day

External Rates:

Hourly Rate* $50/hour
Daily Rate $300/day

 

Micro XRF Sample Fees

To support high-quality data acquisition and sustainable lab operations, the following fee structure applies to Micro XRF analyses:

  • Sample Mounting Fee: Each sample submitted for analysis incurs a flat fee to cover consumables used during mounting and preparation (e.g., epoxy, holders). This fee is charged $5CAD per sample.

  • Map Setup & Reporting Fee: A flat fee per map is charged to cover technician time for instrument setup, calibration, data acquisition file preparation, and basic reporting (i.e., delivery of raw data and map files). This fee is equivalent to approximately 1 hour of technical time ($70CAD for academic rates) and is intended to streamline billing for standard mapping workflows. This fee is charged per map, separate from instrument time, and is not included in any daily cap on instrument usage.

  • Optional Data Analysis & Interpretation: Detailed processing of XRF spectra and interpretive reporting are available upon request and billed at $125 CAD per hour.
    Academic users are encouraged to process their spectra independently using our offline processing workstation, which is available upon request.

 

JEOL JCM-6000 Scanning electron microscope   

Academic Rates (NSERC funded projects):

Hourly Rate $30/hour
Daily Rate $180/day
Carbon Coating $15/batch

External Rates:

Hourly Rate $50/hour
Daily Rate
$300/day
Carbon Coating
$25/batch

 

Optical Microscopes                                                  


 User Fees
To support the continued operation and sustainability of the EPMA laboratories' optical microscopy unit at Western, the following user fees apply:

  • First-Time User / Induction Fee: A one-time fee of $225 CAD is charged for onboarding, which includes training on instrumentation, lab orientation, and access setup.
  • Ongoing Access Fee: After the first year, users are charged $50 CAD per academic term to maintain access to the facility. This fee helps cover costs related to instrument maintenance, consumables, staff support, and general lab operations.

We recognize that some users may only require access during specific terms (e.g., summer research or field seasons). The access fee structure is designed to be flexible and users are only charged for the terms in which they actively use the facility.

For more information or to discuss project-specific arrangements, please contact the Earth and Planetary Materials Analysis lab manager.

External User Rates (Non-NSERC funded projects)

Half Day Rate* $25
Full Day Rate* $50

*Includes the use of any equipment in the optical microscopy laboratory (e.g., scanner).