A proposal led by Dominique Weis, Director of PCIGR, was approved for full-funding from both the Leading Edge Fund (LEF) of the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) in 2009 and the British Columbia Knowledge Development Fund (BC-KDF) this year.
With the in-kind contributions, PCIGR will receive a total investment of ~$7.5 million to expand and update its geochemical analytical equipment. The centrepiece of the new funding will be acquisition of a Nu Instruments Plasma 1700, a large geometry high-resolution, multicollector plasma mass spectrometer, in addition to other cutting-edge instruments.
A research and development (R&D) project is also being developed with Nu Instruments Ltd. to establish a unique geochemical facility in North America that will allow for new analytical developments and integration with teaching and outreach into EOS and the ESSB.
This exceptionally good news will push EOS further to the forefront of research in geochemistry worldwide, with applications to the earth and environmental sciences.