Yanan Liu
Microprobe technician
University of Toronto
Department of Earth Sciences
22 Russell St., Toronto
Ontario, Canada M5S 3B1
Tel.: 416 978 5420
Fax: 416 978 3938
e-mail: liu@es.utoronto.ca
Click here to go to the microprobe lab page!
I joined the department as a “Microbeam Specialist” in 2006 to operate and oversee the entire electron microprobe (Cameca SX50 at that time, now in upgrading into JEOL 8230). I am specialized in non-destructive, quantitative analyses of solid materials, with spatial resolutions down to microns and detection limits down to tens of ppm. Applications ranged from Earth Sciences, Material Sciences to Chemical Engineering and some medical materials as well. I am responsible for user training on the microprobe, machine scheduling, machine tuning, calibrating, troubleshooting and maintenance. I can provide project specific advice on analytical approaches, routine setup, data evaluation, etc. As part of the departmental teaching support program, I am also providing help on teaching related matters, including minerals collection maintenance and teaching samples maintenance.
Having gained my M.Sc degree in McGill University, and PhD in University of Toronto, I am also happily labeling myself as a geochemist. My research interests are mainly focused on magmatic sulfide systems, including sulfur solubility in silicate melt, sulfide liquid fractionation, and partitioning of PGE (Ru, Os, Ir, Rh, Re, Pd, Pt, Ag, Au) and chalcogens (Se, As, Te, Sb, Bi) within sulfide liquid.
Recent publications include:
Liu, Y., Samaha, N. T., & Baker, D. R. (2007). Sulfur concentration at sulfide saturation (SCSS) in magmatic silicate melts. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 71(7), 1783-1799.
- Pinto1, J. M. R. S. Relvas, J. R. S. Carvalho, Y. Liu, N. Pacheco, F. Pinto, R. Fonseca (2014) High-Tech Metals in the zinc-rich massive ores of the Neves Corvo Deposit. Comunicações Geológicas 101, Especial II, 825-828.
Liu, Y and Brenan, J.M. (2015) Partitioning of platinum-group elements (PGE) and chalcogens (Se, Te, As, Sb, Bi) between monosulfide-solid solution (MSS), intermediate solid solution (ISS) and sulfide liquid at controlled fO2-fS2 conditions. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 159, 139-161.