By
Hamid Mumin
March 2025
Print Version
What you need to know
The Laboratory for Applied Research in Resource Geology (LARG) was founded in 2001 as an applied research hub located in the Department of Geology at Brandon University. It is dedicated to supporting the needs of Brandon University researchers, along with their collaborators and partners. LARG provides petrographic, microscopy and other research and analytical facilities that support a wide variety of research related to all types of Earth materials. The lab carries out and supports research in mineral and energy resources, environmental studies, construction, paleontology, and archaeological materials. Principal users of the facility include faculty and students at Brandon University, as well as our partners and collaborators from government, industry, community, and other research institutions.
The Laboratory for Applied Research in Resource Geology is used by all faculty members of the Geology Department (https://www.brandonu.ca/geology/) and by qualified and trained students. It is also available for use by researchers and collaborators from other departments at Brandon University, as well as external partners and collaborators from government and industry.
Why this research is important
Everything we use in society comes from and/or depends on the Earth’s mineral, metal and energy resources. These resources are integral to a healthy and sustainable life and are the only means to lift people out of poverty and destitution and provide them with a prosperous and sustainable future. The facilities provided by LARG are foundational to the commencement and completion of much research in the resource and environmental sectors, as well as providing key analytical equipment for investigators in a broad range of complementary fields. The facility enables faculty and students to carry out critical research at Brandon University without the need to travel to other centres.
The type of research carried out at LARG helps with the discovery of new resources, efficient extraction and processing, source and provenance of materials, and environmental mitigation.
How the research is conducted
LARG provides petrographic, microscopy, imaging, and other analytical equipment for use by trained faculty and students. In addition, many external collaborators partner with Brandon University’s faculty, who then carry out and/or supervise various research projects. Earth, environmental, construction and archaeological materials are examined and analyzed in LARG, resulting in their detailed characterization, identification and association. Some materials are then sent to our partner labs for further analysis, including the Manitoba Minerals Analytical Facility (https://www.brandonu.ca/microscope/mmaf/), also located in the Department of Geology at Brandon University. The lab is also home to a complete set of Western Canada drill logs that are used for investigations into sedimentology, stratigraphy, and energy resource analysis.
How this research can be used
The information derived from research and analytical work in LARG is used to help understand the origin and processes associated with Earth materials and evolution, including resource formation, discovery and exploitation, sustainable use and environmental mitigation. Other studies focus on the identification and characterization of paleontological and archeological materials to help understand their provenance and use.
About the Researcher
Keywords
- archeology
- critical minerals
- Earth materials
- energy
- environmental mitigation
- exploration
- paleontology
- resources
- sustainable development
Editor: Christiane Ramsey
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