This laboratory is equipped with various types of student microscopes and is used for lectures/practicals in Igneous Petrology, Metamorphic Petrology, Optical Mineralogy, Systematic Mineralogy, Palaeontology/Stratigraphy, Crystallography, etc. It also has facilities for storage of thin-sections, rock and palaeontological specimens, crystal models etc, as well as teaching aids such as overhead and slide projectors. A thin-section workshop which is fully equipped is attached to this laboratory.
This laboratory is mostly used by postgraduate students. However, undergraduate practicals in sedimentology are demonstrated and carried out here. It is equipped with the sieve shakers, sample preparation gadgets, variable head permeameter, electro-magnetic separator, ovens and driers, fume cupboard etc. Undergraduate final year students’ projects with bias for sedimentology are carried out in this laboratory.
Basic undergraduate geochemical practicals are carried out in this laboratory which is otherwise sufficiently equipped for postgraduate research work as well. There is provision for normal wet geochemical analysis. The laboratory therefore has stock of chemicals for this purpose. There are also colorimeters to facilitate analyses of water samples etc. The laboratory has such basic facilities as fume cupboards, ovens, balances, glassware and storage for chemicals. Attached to this laboratory is a Perkin-Elmer Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer, which has been faulty for some time.
This is mostly used by the postgraduate students and staff but students are introduced to this machine by way of demonstration in the relevant course. The XRD machine here is a Phillips PW 1370 Model which is at the moment undergoing major repairs funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) through a joint project between McGill University and A.B.U.
This is otherwise known here as the ‘Airphoto’ Laboratory. This laboratory is vital to the teaching/practical of aerial photograph/satellite imagery interpretation as required in the relevant courses both at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. It is equipped with table desktop, computer and printer scanner and has facilities for storage of aerial photograph and satellite imageries.
The A.A.S is Buck Scientific Atomic Absorption Spetrophotometer Model 210 VGP. It is mostly used by the postgraduate and staff and to demonstrate the method of elemental determination to undergraduate students. It is functional but some vital components are needed.