Welcome to the Canadian Centre for Isotopic Microanalysis (CCIM). Our aim is to provide Canadian and international researchers in academia, government, and industry with access to one of the most advanced isotopic microbeam technologies in the geosciences, the IMS 1280 ion microprobe. The CCIM was established in 2009 based on a $13 million grant provided by the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI), the Alberta Science and Research Investments Program (ASRIP), the University of Alberta, and various industry sources.

The research theme at CCIM is focused on mineral and energy resources, but also extends to topics such as biogeochemistry and geochronology.  The IMS 1280 is well-suited for studies requiring microanalyses of light stable isotopes (H, Li, B, C, N, O, Mg, Si, S, Cl), radioactive and radiogenic isotopes (U, Th, Pb), and trace elements (e.g., rare earth elements) in minerals. Both inorganic and biologically-precipitated minerals preserve in their chemistry a wealth of information on topics such as how diamonds form in the Earth's mantle, the cementation of oil-bearing rocks, the age of rocks making up the Canadian landmass, and the ecology of fish species, to name a few.