BETHEL — On September 17 at 4 p.m., a fleet of new, highly sophisticated instrumentation, used for the study of pegmatite samples for Lithium, Boron, and other critical minerals, will be brought online at the Maine Mineral & Gem Museum (MMGM).

“I am delighted to introduce our new state-of-the-art analytical facility,” said Dr. William “Skip” Simmons, Director of the Mineralogy, Petrology and Pegmatology Research Group (MP2) at the MMGM, and emeritus professor of mineralogy at the University of New Orleans. “We can now quantify Lithium, Boron, and Beryllium, and examine the geochemistry of pegmatites at the parts per trillion level, allowing us to delve into the origins of the melts that produce pegmatites. We are poised to make significant contributions to understanding the formation of pegmatites and the critical minerals they contain.”

Instruments include a laser ablation inductively coupled plasma spectrometer with a mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) with a laser ablation unit capable of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), a micro-Raman spectrometer attached to a petrographic microscope, and an automatic thin section machine. This powerful instrumentation – held only by some of the top universities and institutions in the country – will enable the museum to perform cutting-edge research on meteorites and pegmatites, both being subjects of dynamic significance. Additionally, the instrumentation will help the museum attract students and researchers through its broadened research capabilities and educational opportunities.

“The Maine Mineral & Gem Museum is home to a wide array of geologic marvels, from the Maine state gemstone, tourmaline, to the largest pieces of the Moon and Mars on Earth,” said Senator Collins. “This funding will help students across the region to access this educational asset. Additionally, this project will help researchers determine whether Maine’s abundant supply of lithium-rich pegmatites could help power our clean energy future.”

The research team at the MMGM lab – known as the MP2 Research Group – includes some of the top pegmatite scientists and researchers in the country. With the addition of the new instrumentation, the lab will increase its stature and visibility in the scientific community. During the evening event, the museum will offer tours of the lab and new instrumentation, as well as announce the latest member to join the museum’s research team, Dr. Michael Wise; a prominent pegmatite researcher with the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.