Water analytical instrumentation
The Highlands University Natural Resources Management Department maintains a Hanna Water Quality Mutiparameter meter for determining surface water physicochemical parameters (dissolved oxygen, pH, conductivity, alkalinity, and temperature) in the field, a Flow Solution® FS 3100 Automated Chemistry Analyzer for performing continuous nutrient analysis (such as ammonia, total nitrogen, nitrate, nitrite, and phosphorous) on water samples and digested plant extracts, a Graphite Furnace Atomic Adsorption instrument for determining heavy metal concentrations of water samples, a Total Organic Carbon analyzer, and Ion Chromatograph for determining anion and cation determinations in water samples.
Paleomagnetism and Rock Magnetism Laboratory
Environmental Geophysics Laboratory
Seismic Micro-Technology awarded the Environmental Geology program a grant of $477,158 for the KINGDOM Seismic Interpretation Software package. In addition, the geology faculty secured funding ($25,000) from the NMHU Office of Research and Sponsored Projects to purchase five high-end workstations specifically designed to run KINGDOM and to serve as the cornerstone for the new Environmental Geophysical Interpretation Laboratory.
Field Equipment
The Highlands Natural Resources Management Department maintains an assortment of field equipment for surveying, geologic mapping, water sampling, ecological monitoring, and other field studies. These include a Geometrics G-856AX proton magnetometer, a SOKKIA SET610 total station, SOKKIA C410 Auto Level, five hand-held Garmen GPS units, six Trimble GeoExplorer XH, an Ashtech ProMark2 GPS unit, a gamma ray spectrometer, a Geometrics Nimbus ES-125 seismograph, six flow-meters of various design, increment borers, diameter tapes, miscellaneous water sampling equipment, soil analysis tools, a digital camera and video recorder, ten Brunton compasses, and numerous rock hammers and chisels.
Earth Materials Analysis Laboratory
The Earth Materials Research Laboratory at Highlands maintains a GBC Mini Materials Analyzer (powder x-ray diffractometer), Franz Magnetic Separator, a Vreeland Spectroscope, five Bausch and Lomb binocular plane light microscopes, and six petrographic microscopes and accessories, including a Prior Scientific automated point counter and mechanical stage. Highlands also maintains a complete rock-cutting laboratory with a slab saw, two trim saws, various grinding wheels, a magnetic separator, a rock tumbler, and a rock splitter.