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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

GENERAL | XRF ANALYSIS | HYDRATION ANALYSIS | MISCELLANY | LAB BLOG INDEX

GENERAL QUESTIONS

Just what DO you do at the lab? What's the turnaround time for results? I'm in a real hurry - can I rush things? What about the summer lab schedule? What kind of a report do I get? I need an electronic version of the report - any problem? I need the data on disk - any problem? How do I find more information about obsidian (or FGV/basalt) sources that are identified? How much does it cost? Will I have to pay for samples that turn out to be too small after analysis? Will I have to pay for samples that turn out to not be obsidian or that are non-volcanic? How do I arrange payment? What's the best way to ship artifacts to the lab? What about lab security for my artifacts? What geographic source areas are well covered by Northwest Research? I'm having trouble reading the lab Adobe Acrobat documents you sent - what can I do? How long have you been doing this kind of work? What happened to the old BioSystems Analysis obsidian lab?

XRF TRACE ELEMENT ANALYSIS QUESTIONS

How does XRF (X-ray fluorescence) analysis work? Is XRF analysis destructive? In addition to obsidian, what kind of other lithic materials can be characterized using XRF analysis? Does XRF analysis make samples radioactive? How do you assign sources to the analyzed artifacts? What does it mean when there's an unknown source assignment? How do you locate unknown geologic sources? How can I check to see if you've located an unknown source that was identified in a previous trace element study? Is there a minimum physical sample size? Will dirt or painted sample numbers on the artifacts affect the analysis? How about sample selection strategies for XRF analysis? How much is enough? What can I do with the source data once I have it? What kind of variables influence the geographic patterning of geochemically-characterized artifacts?

OBSIDIAN HYDRATION (OH) ANALYSIS QUESTIONS

Is OH analysis destructive? Is there a minimum physical sample size for OH analysis? Can I choose the artifact location for the OH analysis? How does obsidian hydration analysis work? What are the major variables that influence the rate of hydration? What do I get from you when you do the hydration analysis? Can I convert a rim measurement to a calendar date? How do I determine a hydration rate? How do I calculate an age if I have a rim measurement and a hydration rate?

MISCELLANEOUS QUESTIONS ABOUT OBSIDIAN OR FINE-GRAINED VOLCANIC (FGV) MATERIALS

How is obsidian formed? Why is obsidian black? Why is obsidian colors other than black (mahogany, green, etc.)? What causes the iridescence (rainbow sheen or chatoyancy) in some pieces of obsidian? I have something that I think is obsidian but how can I tell for sure? Do you have any maps showing the locations of obsidian sources? Why don't you simply put all the obsidian sources locations on Google Maps How do I get obsidian source locations? Can I make a telescope mirror out of obsidian? Can I melt obsidian and pour it into a mold? Are obsidian scalpels really sharper than metal instruments? Do you know where I can buy these? I live next to a deposit of obsidian - is there any way I can make some money with it? What is an FGV? How can I tell if a rock is a basalt, andesite, rhyolite, or dacite? Do you offer opportunities for internships or student practicums?

SOURCE AND LAB BLOG INDEX

A New Nevada Obsidian Source: Robinson Summit Lost and Found in British Columbia: Central Coast A Parke Creek Tachylyte: Washington's Newest Obsidian Source Tall Tales from the End of the Trail 1 Tall Tales from the End of the Trail 2 Top 5 and Top 10 Obsidian Source Lists Top 5 Obsidian Sources: Colorado Top 5 Obsidian Sources: Washington Top 10 Obsidian Sources: California Top 10 Obsidian Sources: Oregon Top 10 Obsidian Sources: Utah Unknown X: Found at Last Unknown X: The Back Story

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Last Updated: 06/30/2010
Northwest Research Obsidian Studies Laboratory