Chemical Section

BASIC BACKGROUND:
The Chemical Laboratory of the department has manpower strength of 15 personnel headed
by a Joint Director. The other 14 personnel are all technical staff consisting of a Chemist, an Assistant Chemist,
three Junior Technical Assistants, six Laboratory Assistants and three Laboratory Attendants.

VARIOUS TYPES OF TESTS THAT CAN BE DONE:
At present the Laboratory conducts tests such as chemical analysis of Coal, Limestone and Water samples.
With regard to coal analysis, the Laboratory can do proximate determinations which are Moisture, Ash, Volatile Matter and Fixed Carbon and Calorific Value.
For Limestone samples the determination of Loss on Ignition (LOI), Silicon oxide ( SiO2), R2O3( Metal Oxides), Calcium oxide (Cao), Magnesium oxide (MgO), Potassium Oxide( K2O5), Phosphorus Oxide (P2O5), Sulphite (SO3) etc…. are done.
For water samples, the analysis of the following parameters are done; v.i.z.. pH, Turbidity, TDS, Calcium, Magnesium, Total Hardness, Chloride, Bi- Carbonate, Iron, Flouride, Manganese, Arsenic, Sulphate, Sodium and Potassium.

EQUIPMENTS AND INSTRUMENTS:
The Laboratory is equipped with instruments such as UV- Spectrophotometer, Nephelometer,
Flame-photometer and Water Analysis Kit. Apart from the instruments the laboratory is also equipped with
other equipments such as Furnace, Distillation apparatus, ovens etc and necessary glasswares.

ACTIVITIES:
The main activities of the Laboratory involve routine analysis of Geological samples which
are brought by the field officers and also analyse samples submitted by other private agencies.

Photographs of some of the Instruments in the Laboratory