Institute of Geotechnics SAS SLOVENSKY contactcontact

Services and Consulting

The Institute of Geotechnics SAS provides services in the following areas:

Chemical analyses:

  • determination of elements concentration by AAS directly and by electrothermic atomization GTA,
  • direct determination of Hg-content in solid and liquid phase by the device of TMA-254 (Trace Mercury Analyser),
  • determination of gaseous Hg concentration in environmental air by the device of Jerome 431x,
  • determination of gaseous Hg concentration in environmental air by means of the gold-amalgam method,
  • spectrophotocolorimetric determination of elements and anions concentration,
  • determination of SO2, NOX concentration,
  • analysis of gases (CO2, CH4, O2, H2S, H2, CO),
  • water analysis: pH, redox potential, conductivity, dissolved oxygen concentration, TDS – total dissolved solids, COD – chemical oxygen demand, BOD – biological oxygen demand,
  • anion analysis by ion chromatography: F–, Cl–, NO2–, NO3¬, SO42–, Br–, PO43–, AsO43–,
  • chlorine species analysis by ion chromatography: Cl–, HClO/ClO–, ClO2–, ClO3–, ClO4–,
  • analysis of alkali & alkaline earth metal cations and ammonium by ion chromatography:
    Li+, Na+, NH4+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Sr2+, Ba2+,
  • analysis of soils, sediments, compost and similar materials (organic substances degradation rate),
  • preparative work (drying of samples, diminishing onto analytical grain size, decomposition in acids and insoluble residue smelting, microwave decomposition by the device of MWS-3),
  • analytical determination (moisture of sample, loss by ignition, SiO2 by gravimetric analysis, Fe by volumetric analysis, sulphates nefelometrically, ash in coal, total, sulphidic, pyritic and sulphate sulphur, sulphur in sulphides),
  • X-ray qualitative diffraction analysis of solid samples on D8 Advance by Bruker, Germany.

 

Physical properties analyses:

  • determination of rock strength on high-tech compression frame INSTRON 1000 RD,
  • determination of dust concentration on the Hund dust-counter,
  • determination of magnetic susceptibility of materials on the Kappa Bridge device,
  • determination of material humidity by nuclear detector developed at the IGT SAS,
  • contactless temperature measurement with an apparatus developed at the IGT SAS,
  • determination of specific surface area on the NOVA 1200e apparatus by Quantachrome Instruments, Great Britain, and Gemini 2360 apparatus by Micrometrics, USA,
  • determination of density of solids and fluids,
  • thermal treatment of samples.

 

Technological properties analyses:

  • determination of rock drillability on experimental laboratory drilling rig,
  • determination of rock abrasiveness by CERCHAR, LCPC and ON 441121 methods,
  • particles distribution analysis on the Helos/LA apparatus by Sympatec, Germany,
  • float-sink analyses,
  • breaking and grinding of materials to required grain size,
  • low-intensity, high-intensity and polygradient magnetic separation of solids,
  • magnetohydrostatic and gravity concentration of solids,
  • gravitation processing of materials in hydrocyclone,
  • fine and ultra-fine (submicrometric) sample milling,
  • grain-size analysis (dry and wet) using sieves 0.04-0.9 mm.

 

Microbiological analyses:

  • analysis of bacterial DNA by means of PCR from Techne,
  • bacterial species identification by Becton-Dickinson (USA) identification system,
  • isolation of acidophilic bacteria from mine drainage and percolating waters,
  • isolation of sulphate-reducing bacteria from sediments and mineral waters,
  • isolation of silicate bacteria from silicate rock matrix and non-metallic ores,
  • isolation of bacterial DNA and PCR amplification,
  • bacterial species identification by Becton-Dickinson (USA) identification system,
  • isolation of aerobic and anaerobic indigenous bacteria from extreme environments (acid mine drainage, mineral rock environment, sediments, wastewaters, etc.,
  • toxicity and biodegradability assessment by respirometric method.

 

CONSULTING, ADVISORY AND EXPERTISE ACTIVITIES

  • assessment of treatability of ores and industrial minerals,
  • assessment of technical efficiency of mineral processing technologies and technological centres,
  • assessment of selective biological-chemical metal extraction from primary and secondary raw materials,
  • assessment of influence of biological-chemical autochthonous microflora catalysis on stock-piled wastes element and phasic stability,
  • assessment of biological-chemical techniques application in the mineral raw materials and wastes processing and complex utilization,
  • assessment of influence of sulphur-oxidising and sulphate-reducing bacteria biocorrosion attack on building composite materials,
  • assessment of imission loading based on the aerosol and dust deposition,
  • assessment of water and water sediments loading by heavy metals,
  • assessment of the working environment loading level (dust, heavy metals, gases, noise, radiation),
  • assessment of specific dust harmfulness on dust laden worksites.