Montreal Noble Gas Laboratory (GRAM)

The Montreal Noble Gas (GRAM) Laboratory is located in the Pierre-Dansereau Science Complexe of the Université du Québec à Montréal. One of the laboratories of the Geotop network, it is the result of a joint effort between Geotop and UQAM's Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences to develop noble gas geochemistry in Canada.

Tthis laboratory is open to all researchers and students wishing to carry out isotopic analyses of noble gases (helium, neon, argon, krypton and xenon) in fluids and rocks. The GRAM laboratory has a steel extraction and purification line, connected to two quadrupole PRISMA 200 and HiQUAD 410 mass spectrometers from Pfeiffer®, and a HELIX MC mass spectrometer from Thermo® installed at the end of August 2015.

One of the missions of the GRAM laboratory is to train highly qualified students in the field of isotopic geochemistry through multidisciplinary projects addressing various fields such as the origin and evolution of fluids in the continental crust, water dating, and the environmental impact of shale gas and geothermal fluid exploitation. Thermo-chronology (U-Th)/4He analyses on apatite can also be performed in the laboratory. 

For any information regarding the submission of samples, please contact Professor Daniele L. Pinti.

• Mass spectrometer multi-Thermo ® collection HELIX ™ Plus
• Cryopump ARS DE204B (9K)
• Resistance furnace (1100 ˚ C) for thermochronology (U-Th)-4He on apatite
• System with steel balls for vacuum decrepitation of fluid inclusions

Types of samples

• Natural fluids (groundwater, natural gas, geothermal fluids) ⁽¹⁾.
• Fluid inclusions.
• Mineral and rocks.

¹ We do not analyze industrial fluids that contain H, Cl or other halogen pollutants.

Analyzed gas and isotopes

• ³He, ⁴He
• ²⁰Ne, ²¹Ne, ²²Ne
• ³⁶Ar, ³⁸Ar, ⁴⁰Ar
• ⁸⁰Kr, ⁸²Kr, ⁸³Kr, ⁸⁴Kr, ⁸⁶Kr
• ¹²⁸Xe, ¹³⁹Xe, ¹³⁰Xe, ¹³¹Xe, ¹³²Xe,¹³⁴Xe,¹³⁶Xe

Notes:

(1) Helium isotope prices are the same for analyses of only one element (Ne, Ar, Kr ou Xe) 
(2) ³He, ⁴He, ²⁰Ne, ²¹Ne, ²²Ne, ³⁶Ar, ³⁸Ar, ⁴⁰Ar, ⁸²Kr, ⁸³Kr, ⁸⁶Kr, ¹²⁸Xe, ¹²⁹Xe, ¹³⁰Xe, ¹³¹Xe, ¹³²Xe, ¹³⁴Xe, ¹³⁶Xe 
*Academic and industrial rates include 15% overhead charges levied by UQAM.