An ideal thickness for studying certain rocks and minerals underneath a microscope is 0.03 mm, or roughly one one-thousandth of an inch (also known as one thou).

Put another way, it takes 1,000 thous to make one inch.

It’s a big deal, perhaps a game-changer, in this case, for Earth scientists like Dr. John Webster, a Geosciences researcher and professor at Minot State University.

Webster received almost $33,000 from ND EPSCoR's STEM Research and Education program in 2022 to purchase a new precision thin-section machine that cuts stones thin enough for him and his students to discern mineral and chemical composition. ND EPSCoR's STEM Research and Education program is funded through appropriated funds from the ND state legislature to support STEM across North Dakota.

The Buehler PetroThin, as it’s called, is a thin section machine with a PetroBond thin section fixture that ensures parallelism of cutting and grinding procedures.

The technology that creates thin sections isn’t new, but it’s essential to the work Webster performs as both a researcher and a lecturer. Thin-section study using a petrographic microscope is the standard technique for detailed study of rocks and minerals. It helps researchers describe rocks in great detail, including their mineral composition to better understand how they formed.

“It allows us to characterize rocks in new ways and interpret how rocks were formed,” Webster said. “It really is a fundamental, really important approach to studying geological materials. Even if we have good hand lenses (magnifiers), it’s difficult to identify minerals and see the textures. With thin slices like this, it really is how we characterize rocks and understand what they're made of in terms of minerals.”

While the tech isn’t new, the Buehler is certainly an upgrade.

“Our old machines just weren’t very good because when you attach it to the mechanism to grind away the sample, if it doesn’t get perfectly even, it has an impact on what you see,” Webster said. “This new machine has only one sample holder and has a vacuum system that our old machines don’t have. It uses a suction to hold it securely in place, providing more consistent, more repeatable and more parallel cutting and grinding.”

Future geoscientists benefit from machine

Many of Webster’s Geosciences students go on to work in the oil and gas industry, but studying thin sections can also be useful for advancements in cellular technologies, making a career in the field a potentially lucrative—and satisfying—one.

There are typically 25 Geoscience students during any given semester at Minot State. The college graduates approximately four majors each year, Webster said.

“A lot of geology students take an intro course and get interested. Geology majors graduate and go into the oil patch in various capacities, hired by drilling companies or mud logging to do the geologic monitoring. Some are hired by the state oil and gas as inspectors to sort of monitor what’s going on in the oil patch,” he said.

Others work for other state agencies or local agencies, Webster added. Others do materials testing in oil patches or become environmental consultants, initially doing field work and sampling, and advancing into roles with more leadership responsibilities.

Pay is good, too, especially those in the oil and gas industry, with an entry-level geoscientist median annual salary hitting $82,000, according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics.

We have some that go into teaching. We’ve had an Earth Science Education program. Now we’re combining all of them into composite science. Geology would be a part of itnat.

Research benefits, too

The machine benefits Webster’s own petrology research as well. “The ability to prepare quality thin sections allows our faculty to prepare custom teaching collections and reapply improves our research capabilities,” he said.

Before the acquisition of the new thin-section machine, the Minot State University Geosciences program had a limited collection of well-made thin sections for use in teaching.

“We have had two thin section machines for some time,” Webster said. “While reliable, they are not the most precise and lack some features that made it easier for us to produce higher quality thin sections.”

In the long term, the equipment saves the department money. Scientists can purchase commercially prepared thin sections, but sets cost $17,000 or more.

Stretching dollars

After purchasing the PetroThin, Webster had a few thousand dollars left and used it to purchase a mounting fixture.

“This device has spring-loaded posts that are used to keep pressure on the block of rock when glued to the glass slide. This promotes an even distribution (and thickness) of the glue, keeping the surface of the rock parallel to the glass slide,” he said.

Previous funding

Webster received previous funding in 2021 for a new X-ray detector, an EDS detector to enhance the department’s existing electron microscope. At that time, the microscope stopped working, so Webster combined the two grants he received from ND EPSCoR to purchase a new tabletop scanning electron microscope with a new EDS detector.

Webster said he’s thankful for ND EPSCoR funding.

“It has allowed me to continue in terms of research and engaging students in research, and how I incorporate it into my classes,” he said.

Webster hopes to use the new equipment to expand the department’s collection and enhance teaching abilities in optical mineralogy.

“With the new machine, our abilities to characterize geologic materials has significantly enhanced our abilities to teach and train students, to expose them to use of sophisticated equipment and instrumentation, and allow student use of those things in their independent research projects,” Webster said. “ND EPSCoR helps a lot.”